Unveiling the antidiabetic potential of Tupistra nutans: An integrative network pharmacology and molecular docking approach

This study investigates the antidiabetic potential of Tupistra nutans Wall. ex Lindl. (Family: Asparagaceae) using an integrative network pharmacology and molecular docking approach. From 28 identified phytochemicals, four—Diisooctyl phthalate, Cholesterol, Diosgenin, and Clinoasterol—were selected based on oral bioavailability (OB > 30%) and drug-likeness (DL > 0.3). SwissTargetPrediction and GeneCards databases identified 53 overlapping target genes associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). A compound–target–disease network and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network revealed strong interconnectivity (52 nodes, 187 edges), with significant enrichment in lipid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, and insulin resistance pathways as shown by GO, KEGG, and Reactome analyses. Molecular docking results showed that Diisooctyl phthalate exhibited the highest binding affinities with PPARA (−10.3 kcal/mol), PPARG (−10.1 kcal/mol), and ESR1 (−10.0 kcal/mol), forming stable hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with key active site residues. These results suggest that T. nutans bioactives may modulate metabolic and endocrine pathways, supporting its ethnomedicinal use in diabetes. This study provides a robust computational foundation for the therapeutic potential of T. nutans, warranting further in vitro and in vivo validation for clinical application.