phytochemical identification and in silico study of ethanolic extract of white cabbage as a phosphodiesterase 1b inhibitor

Introduction: memory dysfunction has remained a challenging issue globally. nootropics have proven fruitful in managing cognitive dysfunction but because of their side effects, opportunities exist to explore alternatives. white cabbage is a cost-effective natural source of phytochemicals without side effects and has remained uninvestigated as a nootropic agent. this study sought to identify secondary metabolites in white cabbage extract (wce) and to predict the molecular interaction between the phytochemical constituents of cabbage and phosphodiesterase-1b (pde1b) using in silico studies. methods: the wce was prepared by macerating crushed fresh white cabbage with ethanol for 24 h with continuous stirring. the phytochemical profile of wce was analyzed using thin layer chromatography (tlc)-densitometry, and molecular docking studies were performed to predict the underlying mechanism action of the phytochemicals with pde1b. results: the tlc-densitometry analysis showed that wce was a rich source of sinigrin, whereas quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and rutin were not detected. in silico studies identified neobrassicin as having the highest affinity (∆gbind: −19.3358 kcal/mol) for pde1b. however, quercetin (∆gbind: −13.1813 kcal/mol) and chlorogenic acid (∆gbind: −14.8706 kcal/mol) exhibited moderate interaction with pde1b. conclusion: these results suggest that wce has the potency to improve memory function by blocking pde1b, and this preliminary study implies upcoming in vitro and in vivo research.