Phytochemical Characterization of Fagonia indica and Functional Evaluation of Its Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibitory, and Gut-Modulating Properties.

This study investigated the phytochemical composition and pharmacological activities of Fagonia indica crude methanolic extract (MEFFI) and its aqueous fraction (AQFFI). Phytochemical profiling via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 19 compounds in MEFFI and 11 in AQFFI. Predominant constituents in MEFFI included n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, phytol, and 2-butoxyethanol, while AQFFI was rich in 4-O-methylmannose, thiocyanic acid ethyl ester, and thiophene derivatives-compounds associated with diverse biological activities, including modulation of intestinal motility. Pharmacological evaluation revealed dose-dependent inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), indicating neuroprotective potential. In antioxidant assays, MEFFI exhibited stronger radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀ = 222 for DPPH and 230 μg/mL for ABTS) compared to AQFFI. Acute toxicity assessment in pigeons confirmed safety of both extracts at doses up to 2 g/kg. In vivo experiments revealed that AQFFI significantly enhanced gastrointestinal transit (83.87%), demonstrating prokinetic activity, whereas MEFFI exhibited pronounced laxative effects in constipation models. Both extracts also produced dose-dependent spasmolytic effects on isolated rabbit jejunum. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of F. indica extracts in managing gastrointestinal motility disorders and support further mechanistic studies to correlate the specific phytochemicals with their observed laxative and spasmolytic activities.