A multi-evidence computational and experimental strategy for Silene nerimaniae: combining phytochemical characterization, bioactivity assessment, and ADEFRank-HCT-116-based metabolite prioritization

This study presents the first comprehensive evaluation of the phytochemical composition, antioxidant properties, enzyme inhibitory effects, and cytotoxic potential of Silene nerimaniae G.E.Genç, Kandemir & İ.Genç (family Caryophyllaceae). Ethyl acetate, acetone, 70% acetone, and aqueous extracts were obtained from the aerial parts of the plant through maceration. Among the tested extracts, the acetone extract contained the highest total phenolic (24.37 mg GAE per g) and flavonoid (24.64 mg RE per g) contents. LC–MS analysis identified 52 bioactive constituents, including sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, and fatty acids. The aqueous extract demonstrated the strongest radical scavenging activity against DPPH (23.02 mg TE per g) and ABTS (55.76 mg TE per g), as well as the highest Fe3+ reducing power (37.53 mg TE per g). In combination with the acetone extract, it also exhibited notable Cu2+ reducing activity (47.78 mg TE per g). Regarding enzyme inhibition, the ethyl acetate, acetone, and hydroacetone extracts displayed the strongest inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase (1.87 mg GALA per g), butyrylcholinesterase (2.92 mg GALA per g), and tyrosinase (60.44 mg KAE per g), respectively. All three extracts also inhibited α-amylase activity within the range of 0.73–0.77 mmol ACAE per g (p ≥ 0.05). In addition, the hydroacetone extract showed considerable inhibition of human carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes I (IC50 = 38.78 μg mL−1) and II (IC50 = 19.59 μg mL−1). The ethyl acetate extract exhibited the strongest cytotoxic effect against the colorectal cancer cell line HCT-116, with an IC50 value of 0.639 μg mL−1 and a selectivity index of 1.7. To contextualize this HCT-116-associated activity at the metabolite level, an ADEFRank-HCT116 (abundance–domain–evidence fusion ranking) workflow was applied by integrating EtOAc abundance, HCT-116-oriented QSAR evidence, applicability-domain confidence, and structure-assignment reliability. This analysis prioritized diosmetin, luteolin, eriodyctiol, acacetin, and isorhamnetin as core candidates for structure-based follow-up. Molecular docking screening predicted favorable docking profiles for the prioritized candidates, while 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations were used to assess the dynamic stability of the representative luteolin–PI3Kα, diosmetin–AKT1, and isorhamnetin–GSK-3β complexes. Taken together, these results indicate that S. nerimaniae may represent a valuable source of active compounds for various functional nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses. This journal is