Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and AMPA receptor modulatory activities of selected medicinal plant extracts reveal multitarget pharmacological potential.

The increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative and metabolic illnesses worldwide demands innovative treatment approaches. Medicinal plants having known traditional usage, such as Terminalia chebula, Portulaca oleracea, and Artemisia judaica, are abundant in bioactive chemicals. The purpose of this study is to examine their potential as natural remedies by examining their phytochemical composition and multi-target biological activity. Both qualitative and quantitative phytochemical evaluations were performed on the aqueous extracts of the chosen plants. In vitro tests such as DPPH radical scavenging for antioxidant activity, α-amylase and pancreatic lipase inhibition assays for metabolic effects, antimicrobial microdilution testing, and electrophysiological whole-cell patch-clamp recordings to measure modulation of AMPA receptor subunits were used to assess their biological activities. T. chebula showed the greatest quantities of these compounds. T. chebula exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity (DPPH IC₅₀ = 13.64 µg/mL), considerable α-amylase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 60.11 µg/mL), and moderate pancreatic lipase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 468.52 µg/mL) in vitro bioassays, suggesting strong anti-diabetic and anti-obesity capability. The effects of A. judaica and P. oleracea were less pronounced. According to antimicrobial examination, T. chebula and A. judaica shown significant broad-spectrum activity against Candida albicans, Gram-positive, and Gram-negative bacteria. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiological tests, it was shown that all extracts were antagonists of AMPA receptor subunits (GluA1, GluA2, GluA1/2, GluA2/3), with T. chebula showing the most potent inhibitory action. According to this study, Terminalia chebula is the most effective extract, exhibiting notable multi-target bioactivity against neurological, microbiological, and metabolic targets. The findings support its long-standing application and emphasize its potential as a source of new medicinal compounds. Incorporating these results supports the ongoing investigation of plant extracts in contemporary drug research.