Casuarictin: A new herbal drug molecule for Alzheimer's disease as inhibitor of presenilin stabilization factor like protein

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. In this disease neurodegeneration occurs due to deposition of aggregated amyloid-beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (hyperphosphorylated tau proteins). Present study focuses on interaction of different phytochemicals with presenilin stabilization factor like protein (PSFL). PSFL protein is known to stabilize Presenilin, which is mainly involved in intramembrane hydrolysis of selected type- I membrane proteins, including amyloid-beta precursor protein, and produces amyloid-beta protein. Amyloid-beta are small peptides comprising of 36–43 amino acids, which play a significant role in senile plaques formation in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Virtual screening and docking of phytochemicals with PSFL protein was done to find the potential inhibitor. Based on binding affinity, docked energy and molecular dynamics simulations, three phytochemicals namely Saponin, Casuarictin, and Enoxolone, were identified as potential inhibitors for the target protein.