GC‐MS Profiling and Anti‐Influenza Potential of Phyllanthus emblica (Indian Gooseberry) Extract: In Vitro and In Silico Approaches

ABSTRACT Influenza A virus remains a persistent global health challenge requiring novel therapeutic interventions. This study evaluated the antiviral efficacy of aqueous, ethanolic, and methanolic extracts of Phyllanthus emblica against the H1N1pdm09 virus and identified active compounds (GCMS) through molecular docking analysis. Cytotoxicity was determined using MTT assays, and more than 95% viability was found at concentrations of 62.50 µg/mL for the aqueous extract, 125 µg/mL for the ethanolic & methanolic extract. In contrast, antiviral activity was assessed through RT‐qPCR quantification of viral genomic load via cycle threshold (Ct) values across pre‐treatment, co‐treatment, and post‐treatment protocols. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH assays, and molecular docking examined binding affinities against key viral proteins. The aqueous extract demonstrated negligible antiviral activity, while ethanolic and methanolic extracts showed substantial efficacy, particularly under co‐treatment conditions. Ethanolic extract achieved the highest viral inhibition with Ct values of 27.09 ( p