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Multi-Target Neuroprotection by Syzygium aromaticum Ethyl Acetate Fraction Against Mercuric Chloride-Induced Hippocampal Toxicity: Insights from Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vivo Evaluation
Etukudo EM, Usman IM, Oviosun A, Ojiakor VO, Owembabazi E, Aja PM, Anyanwu E.. F1000Res, 2026-10-05
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Mercury remains a pervasive environmental neurotoxicant strongly implicated in hippocampal oxidative injury and dementia-related cognitive decline, yet safe multi-target agents against its neurotoxicity remain limited. This study investigated the neuroprotective potential of the Syzygium aromaticum (clove) ethyl acetate fraction (SEAF) against mercuric chloride (HgCl 2 )-induced hippocampal neurotoxicity using an integrated network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo evaluations. GC-MS profiling of SEAF (5.29% yield) identified 13 abundant metabolites, dominated by eugenyl acetate, eugenol, 14-hydroxycaryophyllene, and β-caryophyllene. Consensus screening with SwissADME and ADMETlab 3.0 identified eugenyl acetate, benzyl benzoate, and 1-methylcyclododecanol as blood-brain barrier (BBB)-permeant. Network pharmacology integrating SwissTargetPrediction, TargetNet, GeneCards, and the Therapeutic Target Database revealed 16 overlapping dementia-associated targets, with NFKB1 emerging alongside other genes as the principal hub governing nuclear receptor signalling, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation pathways. Molecular docking against NMDA, GABA_A, NF-κB1, and acetylcholinesterase receptors showed eugenyl acetate and benzyl benzoate consistently exhibited the strongest and most consistent binding affinities among the BBB-permeant metabolites. In vivo , pretreatment with SEAF (250–1000 mg/kg) dose-dependently attenuated HgCl₂-induced deficits in object location and Y-maze performance, restored hippocampal superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, reduced malondialdehyde levels, and preserved CA1/CA3 pyramidal cell architecture, with the 1000 mg/kg dose approximating Vitamin E and control groups. These convergent computational and experimental findings identify SEAF as a multi-target neuroprotective agent that mitigates mercury-induced hippocampal neurodegeneration through coordinated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neurotransmission-modulating mechanisms, supporting its further development as a candidate nutraceutical neuroprotectant against heavy-metal-associated dementia risk.
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APA 7th
Etukudo, E. M., Usman, I. M., Oviosun, A., Ojiakor, V. O., Owembabazi, E., Aja, P. M., et al. (2026). Multi-Target Neuroprotection by Syzygium aromaticum Ethyl Acetate Fraction Against Mercuric Chloride-Induced Hippocampal Toxicity: Insights from Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vivo Evaluation. F1000Res. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.186494.1
Vancouver
Etukudo EM, Usman IM, Oviosun A, Ojiakor VO, Owembabazi E, Aja PM, et al. Multi-Target Neuroprotection by Syzygium aromaticum Ethyl Acetate Fraction Against Mercuric Chloride-Induced Hippocampal Toxicity: Insights from Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vivo Evaluation. F1000Res. 2026. doi:10.12688/f1000research.186494.1.
BibTeX
@article{etukudo2026-c4612b37,
author = {Etukudo, E. M. and Usman, I. M. and Oviosun, A. and Ojiakor, V. O. and Owembabazi, E. and Aja, P. M. and Anyanwu, E.},
title = {{Multi-Target Neuroprotection by Syzygium aromaticum Ethyl Acetate Fraction Against Mercuric Chloride-Induced Hippocampal Toxicity: Insights from Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vivo Evaluation}},
journal = {F1000Res},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.12688/f1000research.186494.1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.186494.1}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Network pharmacology integrating SwissTargetPrediction, TargetNet, GeneCards, and the Therapeutic Target Database revealed 16 overlapping dementia-associated targets, with NFKB1 emerging alongside other genes as the principal hub governing nuclear receptor signalling, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation pathways.
Study details
- Effect size5.29%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 26 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 45 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (F1000Res) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 26 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 26 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 45 out of 100. |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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