Antimicrobial mechanism of copper (II) 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2′-bipyridyl complex on bacterial and fungal pathogens

Copper based metallo drugs were prepared and their antibacterial, antifungal, molecular mechanism of [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H₂O and [Cu(SAla)bpy]·H₂O complexes were investigated. The [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H₂O and [Cu(SAla)bpy]·H₂O were derived from the Schiff base alanine salicylaldehyde. [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H₂O showed noteworthy antibacterial and antifungal activity than the [Cu(SAla)bpy]·H₂O and ligand alanine, salicylaldehyde. The [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H₂O complex showed significant antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella paratyphi and the antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans in well diffusion assay. The mode of action of copper (II) complex was analyzed by DNA cleavage activity and in silico molecular docking. The present findings provide important insight into the molecular mechanism of copper (II) complexes in susceptible bacterial and fungal pathogens. These results collectively support the use of [Cu(SAla)Phen]·H₂O complex as a suitable drug to treat bacterial and fungal infections.     

Biological evaluation of redox stable cisplatin/Cu(II)-DNA adducts as potential anticancer agents

A series of non-enolizable β-diketonate-based copper(II) complexes with LCuCl₂ [L = Knoevenagel condensates of curcumin (Salcimine) and methylacetoacetate (SalMaA)-based Schiff bases] chromospheres as functional models of chemotherapy drug cisplatin were investigated for their covalent interaction with herring sperm DNA. The synthesis and structural characterization of 1a and 1b have been reported in our previous article. However, their DNA interactions and cytotoxicity properties were not studied. These analyses have been carried out mainly through electrochemical techniques supplemented with spectral, relative viscosity, gel electrophoresis techniques, and AGS cancer cells using MTT assay. The cytotoxic activities of the ligand, curcumin-based copper complex, and cisplatin were tested against the AGS cancer cell line under similar experimental conditions showing that the complex exhibited cancer cell inhibitory rate closer to cisplatin even at low concentration. This was also seen in the docking of the Cu-complex onto a rich guanine B-DNA decamer, where a Cu–N3_(guanine) interaction instead of Pt-N7 as cisplatin is detected. The obtained results in this study prove that these complexes could be a promising substitute for cisplatin as a new family of non-platinum-based anticancer metallo-drugs after in vivo tests on animal models.     

In vitro cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of vic‐dioxime ligand and its metal complexes

In this study, vic‐dioxime ligand, (1E,2E)‐2‐(hydroxyimino)‐N′‐[(1E)‐2‐oxo‐2‐phenylethylidene]ethanehydroximohydrazide (LH₂), and its Cu (II) and Ni (II) transition metal complexes were synthesized and characterized using analytical and spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of this vic‐dioxime ligand and its Cu (II) and Ni (II) complexes on Caco‐2 heterogeneous human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells were evaluated. The effect of the vic‐dioxime ligand and its Ni (II) and Cu (II) complexes in combination with Campto on the cells was also investigated. The cytotoxicity test was carried using the MTT assay, and the apoptotic effect was tested by DNA diffusion assay. Campto was used as a standard anti‐cancer drug, Caco‐2 cancer cells treated with dimethylsulfoxide acted as solvent control, and human peripheral lymphocytes were used as control. The ligand and its complexes exhibit concentration‐dependent cytotoxic and apoptotic behavior. The ligand induces the weakest cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on both Caco‐2 cancer cells and lymphocytes. The Ni (II) complex of ligand induces high cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on both Caco‐2 cancer cells and lymphocytes. The Cu (II) complex of ligand has high cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on Caco‐2, but weak cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on lymphocytes. The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the ligand and its Ni (II) and Cu (II) complexes were found to be concentration dependent, i.e. the higher the concentration is the more cytotoxic it will be. The present findings suggest that Cu (II) complex has the potential to act as a promising anti‐cancer compound against Caco‐2 colon cancer cells.     

Antifungal Activity and In Silico Studies on 2-Acylated Benzo- and Naphthohydroquinones

The high rates of morbidity and mortality due to fungal infections are associated with a limited antifungal arsenal and the high toxicity of drugs. Therefore, the identification of novel drug targets is challenging due to the several resemblances between fungal and human cells. Here, we report the in vitro antifungal evaluation of two acylphenols series, namely 2-acyl-1,4-benzo- and 2-acyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinones. The antifungal properties were assessed on diverse Candida and filamentous fungi strains through the halo of inhibition (HOI) and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The antifungal activities of 2-acyl-1,4-benzohydroquinone derivatives were higher than those of the 2-acyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinone analogues. The evaluation indicates that 2-octanoylbenzohydroquinone 4 is the most active member of the 2-acylbenzohydroquinone series, with MIC values ranging from 2 to 16 μg/mL. In some fungal strains (i.e., Candida krusei and Rhizopus oryzae), such MIC values of compound 4 (2 and 4 μg/mL) were comparable to that obtained by amphotericin B (1 μg/mL). The compound 4 was evaluated for its antioxidant activity by means of FRAP, ABTS and DPPH assays, showing moderate activity as compared to standard antioxidants. Molecular docking studies of compound 4 and ADMET predictions make this compound a potential candidate for topical pharmacological use. The results obtained using the most active acylbenzohydroquinones are promising because some evaluated Candida strains are known to have decreased sensitivity to standard antifungal treatments.     

De novo design based identification of potential HIV-1 integrase inhibitors: A pharmacoinformatics study

In the present study, pharmacoinformatics paradigms include receptor-based de novo design, virtual screening through molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation are implemented to identify novel and promising HIV-1 integrase inhibitors. The de novodrug/ligand/molecule design is a powerful and effective approach to design a large number of novel and structurally diverse compounds with the required pharmacological profiles. A crystal structure of HIV-1 integrase bound with standard inhibitor BI-224436 is used and a set of 80,000 compounds through the de novo approach in LigBuilder is designed. Initially, a number of criteria including molecular docking, in-silico toxicity and pharmacokinetics profile assessments are implied to reduce the chemical space. Finally, four de novo designed molecules are proposed as potential HIV-1 integrase inhibitors based on comparative analyses. Notably, strong binding interactions have been identified between a few newly identified catalytic amino acid residues and proposed HIV-1 integrase inhibitors. For evaluation of the dynamic stability of the protein-ligand complexes, a number of parameters are explored from the 100 ns MD simulation study. The MD simulation study suggested that proposed molecules efficiently retained their molecular interaction and structural integrity inside the HIV-1 integrase. The binding free energy is calculated through the Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) approach for all complexes and it also explains their thermodynamic stability. Hence, proposed molecules through de novo design might be critical to inhibiting the HIV-1 integrase.     

Pyrimidinetrione-imidazoles as a Unique Structural Type of Potential Agents towards Candida Albicans: Design,Synthesis and Biological Evaluation

Substantial morbidity and mortality of fungal infections have aroused concerns all over the world, and common Candida spp. currently bring about severe systemic infections. A series of pyrimidinetrione-imidazole conjugates as potentially antifungal agents were developed. Bioassays manifested that 4-fluobenzyl pyrimidinetrione imidazole 5 f exerted favorable inhibition towards C. albicans (MIC=0.002 mM), being 6.5 folds more active than clinical antifungal drug fluconazole (MIC=0.013 mM). Preliminary mechanism research indicated that compound 5 f could not only depolarize membrane potential but also permeabilize the membrane of C. albicans. Molecular docking was operated to simulate the interaction mode between molecule 5 f and CYP51. In addition, hybrid 5 f might form 5 f -DNA supramolecular complex via intercalating into DNA. The interference of membrane and DNA might contribute to its fungicidal capacity with no obvious tendency to induce the resistance against C. albicans. Conjugate 5 f endowed good blood compatibility as well as low cytotoxicity towards HeLa and HEK-293T cells.     

Spectroscopic investigation,DFT, fluorescence,molecular docking and biological studies of divalent and trivalent binuclear complexes prepared from benzoyl thiosemicarbazide derivative of 2‐benzylmalonohydrazide

The binuclear Cr (III), Mn (II) and Fe (III) complexes of N,N′‐(2,2′‐(2‐benzylmalonyl)bis (hydrazine‐1‐carbonothioyl))dibenzamide (H₄BPCD), which derived from the combination of 2‐benzylmalonohydrazide suspension with benzoyl‐isothiocyanate, have been isolated and investigated by the necessary analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The IR studies show that H₄BPCD dispose as a mono‐negative hexadentate ligand (NOS)₂ towards Mn (II) ion and tetra‐negative hexadentate (NOS)₂ towards both Cr (III) and Fe (III) ions. The values of molar conductance in DMSO suggested the non‐electrolytic nature for all complexes. The magnetic measurements and the electronic transitions data confirmed the hexa‐coordinate geometry of complexes. The DFT geometry optimization of all compounds and IR comparative study of both theoretical and experimental of H₄BPCD were carried out. Moreover, the H₄BPCD and its Cr (III) complex displayed intra ligand (π → π*) fluorescence emission spectra which corroborate their photoactive nature. The coordinated and crystalline water molecules have been investigated by (TG/DTG) studies. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were computed using Horowitz‐ Metzger, Coats‐Redfern and Broido methods. Biological studies of DNA binding, minimum inhibitory concentration, in vitro determination of SOD‐like activity and MTT‐cytotoxicity assay as well as molecular docking studies were tested for the ligand and its complexes.     

Hammerhead: fast,fully automated docking of flexible ligands to protein binding sites

Background: Molecular docking seeks to predict the geometry and affinity of the binding of a small molecule to a given protein of known structure. Rigid docking has long been used to screen databases of small molecules, because docking techniques that account for ligand flexibility have either been too slow or have required significant human intervention. Here we describe a docking algorithm, Hammerhead, which is a fast, automated tool to screen for the binding of flexible molecules to protein binding sites.Results: We used Hammerhead to successfully dock a variety of positive control ligands into their cognate proteins. The empirically tuned scoring function of the algorithm predicted binding affinities within 1.3 log units of the known affinities for these ligands. Conformations and alignments close to those determined crystallographically received the highest scores. We screened 80 000 compounds for binding to streptavidin, and biotin was predicted as the top-scoring ligand, with other known ligands included among the highest-scoring dockings. The screen ran in a few days on commonly available hardware.Conclusions: Hammerhead is suitable for screening large databases of flexible molecules for binding to a protein of known structure. It correctly docks a variety of known flexible ligands, and it spends an average of only a few seconds on each compound during a screen. The approach is completely automated, from the elucidation of protein binding sites, through the docking of molecules, to the final selection of compounds for assay.     

Aphrodisiac Performance of Bioactive Compounds from Mimosa pudica Linn.: In Silico Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulation Approach

Plants and their derived molecules have been traditionally used to manage numerous pathological complications, including male erectile dysfunction (ED). Mimosa pudica Linn. commonly referred to as the touch-me-not plant, and its extract are important sources of new lead molecules in drug discovery research. The main goal of this study was to predict highly effective molecules from M. pudica Linn. for reaching and maintaining penile erection before and during sexual intercourse through in silico molecular docking and dynamics simulation tools. A total of 28 bioactive molecules were identified from this target plant through public repositories, and their chemical structures were drawn using Chemsketch software. Graph theoretical network principles were applied to identify the ideal target (phosphodiesterase type 5) and rebuild the network to visualize the responsible signaling genes, proteins, and enzymes. The 28 identified bioactive molecules were docked against the phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) enzyme and compared with the standard PDE5 inhibitor (sildenafil). Pharmacokinetics (ADME), toxicity, and several physicochemical properties of bioactive molecules were assessed to confirm their drug-likeness property. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation modeling was performed to investigate the stability of PDE5–ligand complexes. Four bioactive molecules (Bufadienolide (−12.30 kcal mol⁻¹), Stigmasterol (−11.40 kcal mol⁻¹), Isovitexin (−11.20 kcal mol⁻¹), and Apigetrin (−11.20 kcal mol⁻¹)) showed the top binding affinities with the PDE5 enzyme, much more powerful than the standard PDE5 inhibitor (−9.80 kcal mol⁻¹). The four top binding bioactive molecules were further validated for a stable binding affinity with the PDE5 enzyme and conformation during the MD simulation period as compared to the apoprotein and standard PDE5 inhibitor complexes. Further, the four top binding bioactive molecules demonstrated significant drug-likeness characteristics with lower toxicity profiles. According to the findings, the four top binding molecules may be used as potent and safe PDE5 inhibitors and could potentially be used in the treatment of ED.     

New Mononuclear and Binuclear Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) Thiosemicarbazone Complexes with Potential Biological Activity: Antimicrobial and Molecular Docking Study

Herein, we report the synthesis of eight new mononuclear and binuclear Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺ methoxy thiosemicarbazone (MTSC) complexes aiming at obtaining thiosemicarbazone complex with potent biological activity. The structure of the MTSC ligand and its metal complexes was fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic techniques (NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis), molar conductivity, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and thermal differential analysis (DrTGA). The spectral and analytical data revealed that the obtained thiosemicarbazone-metal complexes have octahedral geometry around the metal center, except for the Zn²⁺-thiosemicarbazone complexes, which showed a tetrahedral geometry. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the MTSC ligand and its (Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺) metal complexes were also investigated. Interestingly, the antibacterial activity of MTSC- metal complexes against examined bacteria was higher than that of the MTSC alone, which indicates that metal complexation improved the antibacterial activity of the parent ligand. Among different metal complexes, the MTSC- mono- and binuclear Cu²⁺ complexes showed significant antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Proteus vulgaris, better than that of the standard gentamycin drug. The in silico molecular docking study has revealed that the MTSC ligand could be a potential inhibitor for the oxidoreductase protein.     

Design,synthesis, characterization of zirconium (IV), cadmium (II) and iron (III) complexes derived from Schiff base 2-aminomethylbenzimidazole, 2-hydroxynaphtadehyde and evaluation of their biological activity

(E)-1-((((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)methyl)imino)methyl)naphthalen-2-ol, ligand was synthesized by condensation of (1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl) methanamine, with 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde. The ligand and the metal complexes were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. Interpretation of spectra confirmed that the ligand adopted either a neutral tridentate or a monobasic tridentate mode, bonded to the metal ions through the nitrogen atom of the heterocyclic benzimidazole, azomethine nitrogen atom and deprotonated phenolic oxygen atom forming either a square planer geometry. X-ray powder diffraction analysis of complexes indicated that the complexes were crystalline in nature with triclinic structures. The antibacterial and the antifungal activities of the ligand and its complexes were examined against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger by well- diffusion method. The results showed that Cd (II) complex exhibits the highest antifungal and antibacterial activities among the tested complexes. The in vitro antitumor activityies of the different complexes were tested and the results revealed an important cytotoxicity of cadmium complex against MCF-7, Hep G2 and HCT 116 cell. Iron complex showed also a strong toxicity towards Hep G2 and HCT cell whereas moderate activity against MCF-7. The bioassay study of different complexes against mosquito larvae demonstrated strong activity of zirconium complex with 0.172 values of LC50.     

Synthesis,Biological and In Silico Studies of a Tripodal Schiff Base Derived from 2,4,6-Triamino-1,3,5-triazine and Its Trinuclear Dy(III), Er(III), and Gd(III) Salen Capped Complexes

A tripodal Schiff base ligand, 2,4,6-Tris(4-carboxybenzimino)-1,3,5-triazine (MT) and its trinuclear Dy(III), Er(III), and Gd(III) complexes were synthesized. These were characterized using UV-visible, IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies, elemental analysis, and molar conductivity measurements. The spectral studies indicate that the ligand is hexadentate and coordinates to the Ln(III) ions through the oxygen atoms of the carboxylic group. The trinuclear complexes were characterized as being bridged by carboxylate anions to the Dy(III), Er(III), and Gd(III) salen centers and displaying a coordination number of six. Biological studies revealed that MT is more active against the test micro-organisms relative to the trinuclear complexes. Acute toxicity studies revealed that MT is safe and has a wide range of effective doses (ED₅₀). In vivo antimalarial studies indicate that MT could serve as an effective antimalarial agent since it has parasitemia inhibition of 84.02% at 50 mg/kg and 65.81% at 25 mg/kg, close to the value (87.22%) of the standard drug—Artesunate. Molecular docking simulation studies on the compounds against SARS-CoV-2 (6Y84) and E. coli DNA gyrase (5MMN) revealed effective binding interactions through multiple bonding modes. The binding energy calculated for Er(III)MT-6Y84 and Er(III)MT-5MMN complexes showed active molecules with the ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and E. coli DNA gyrase.     

Synthesis,Structural Characterization,and In Vitro and In Silico Antifungal Evaluation of Azo-Azomethine Pyrazoles (PhN2(PhOH)CHN(C3N2(CH3)3)PhR,R = H or NO2)

The azo-azomethine imines, R¹-N=N-R²-CH=N-R³, are a class of active pharmacological ligands that have been prominent antifungal, antibacterial, and antitumor agents. In this study, four new azo-azomethines, R¹ = Ph, R² = phenol, and R³ = pyrazol-Ph-R’ (R = H or NO₂), have been synthesized, structurally characterized using X-ray, IR, NMR and UV–Vis techniques, and their antifungal activity evaluated against certified strains of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. The antifungal tests revealed a high to moderate inhibitory activity towards both strains, which is regulated as a function of both the presence and the location of the nitro group in the aromatic ring of the series. These biological assays were further complemented with molecular docking studies against three different molecular targets from each fungus strain. Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations were performed on the two best molecular docking results for each fungus strain. Better affinity for active sites for nitro compounds at the “meta” and “para” positions was found, making them promising building blocks for the development of new Schiff bases with high antifungal activity.     

New nanobidentate Schiff base ligand of 2-aminophenol with 2-acetyl ferrocene with some lanthanide metal ions: synthesis,characterization and Hepatitis A,B, C and breast cancer docking studies

Three lanthanide complexes (La(III), Er(III), and Yb(III)) derived from ferrocene-based Schiff base ligand (HL) were synthesized from condensation of 2-aminophenol with 2-acetylferrocene. The ligand and metal complexes were characterized based on elemental analyses, IR, ¹H NMR, molar conductance, SEM and thermal analyses (TG, DTG). The molar conductance revealed that all the metal chelates were electrolytes having the general composition [M(L)(Cl)(H₂O)₃]Cl·4H₂O. HL and its complexes were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activity by agar diffusion method. The results of these studies showed that the metal complexes are more effective antibacterial and antifungal agents as compared with the free ligand. The anticancer activity was screened against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Results indicated that metal complexes showed an increased cytotoxicity in proliferation to cell lines as compared to free ligand. Molecular docking studies were performed to identify the binding orientation or conformation of a complex in the active site of the protein. HL and its complexes were docked with crystal structure of DDB1 of breast cancer, crystal structure of HCV, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, receptors of HBV core protein, crystal structure of the Fab fragment of anti-HAV.     

New coumarin derivative with potential antioxidant activity: Synthesis,DNA binding and in silico studies (Docking,MD, ADMET)

A new coumarin derivative, 7-((8-(4-benzylpiperidin-1-yl)octyl)oxy)-4-methyl-2H-chromen-2-one (C3), was synthesized by two-step alkylation reaction of 7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin. The structure and purity of the compound were characterized by its ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FT-IR and LC-MS spectral data. The DNA binding interaction of C3 was evaluated using UV–vis spectrophotometric and viscosimetric methods. These experiments showed that C3 was bound in intercalative mode. The antioxidant activity of C3 was evaluated by the DPPH method, the antioxidant activity results displayed that C3 had DPPH radical scavenging effect. The possible mechanism of antioxidant and anticancer activity of C3 was investigated via molecular docking by using two enzymes CYP450 and EGFR as receptors. The C3 also tended a good antioxidant ability based on the result of the molecular docking analysis, with good binding affinity values (-7.82 kcal/mol) and binding site interactions. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation was implemented to elucidate the interactions with the protein–ligand complex in 20 ns. The ADMET analyzes which paved the way for us to predict C3 as a drug candidate were also performed. All experimental and theoretical results showed that the compound C3 was a potential drug candidate as an antioxidant and anticancer agent.     

Identification of novel PI3Kδ inhibitors by docking,ADMET prediction and molecular dynamics simulations

BackgroundPhosphoinositide-3-kinase Delta (PI3Kδ) plays a key role in B-cell signal transduction and inhibition of PI3Kδ is confirmed to have clinical benefit in certain types of activation of B-cell malignancies. Virtual screening techniques have been used to discover new molecules for developing novel PI3Kδ inhibitors with little side effects.MethodComputer aided drug design method were used to rapidly screen optimal PI3Kδ inhibitors from the Asinex database. Virtual screening based molecular docking was performed to find novel and potential lead compound targeting PI3Kδ, at first. Subsequently, drug likeness studies were carried out on the retrieved hits to evaluate and analyze their drug like properties such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) for toxicity prediction. Three least toxic compounds were selected for the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 30 ns in order to validate its stability inside the active site of PI3Kδ receptor.ResultsBased on the present in silico analysis, two molecules have been identified which occupied the same binding pocket confirming the selection of active site. ASN 16296138 (Glide score: −12.175 kcal/mol, cdocker binding energy: −42.975 kcal/mol and ΔG_bind value: −90.457 kcal/mol) and BAS 00227397 (Glide score: −10.988 kcal/mol, cdocker binding energy: −39.3376 kcal/mol and ΔG_bind value: −81.953 kcal/mol) showed docking affinities comparatively much stronger than those of already reported known inhibitors against PI3Kδ. These two ligand’s behaviors also showed consistency during the simulation of protein-ligand complexes for 30000 ps respectively, which is indicative of its stability in the receptor pocket.ConclusionCompound ASN 16296138 and BAS 00227397 are potential candidates for experimental validation of biological activity against PI3Kδ in future drug discovery studies. This study smoothes the path for the development of novel leads with improved binding properties, high drug likeness, and low toxicity to humans for the treatment of cancer.     

Effects of Coumarinyl Schiff Bases against Phytopathogenic Fungi,the Soil-Beneficial Bacteria and Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Deeper Insight into the Mechanism of Action

Coumarin derivatives have been reported as strong antifungal agents against various phytopathogenic fungi. In this study, inhibitory effects of nine coumarinyl Schiff bases were evaluated against the plant pathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Fusarium culmorum, Macrophomina phaseolina and Sclerotinia sclerotiourum). The compounds were demonstrated to be efficient antifungal agents against Macrophomina phaseolina. The results of molecular docking on the six enzymes related to the antifungal activity suggested that the tested compounds act against plant pathogenic fungi, inhibiting plant cell-wall-degrading enzymes such as endoglucanase I and pectinase. Neither compound exhibited inhibitory effects against two beneficial bacteria (Bacillus mycoides and Bradyrhizobium japonicum) and two entomopathogenic nematodes. However, compound 9 was lethal (46.25%) for nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and showed an inhibitory effect against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (31.45%), confirming the relationship between these two activities. Calculated toxicity and the pesticide-likeness study showed that compound 9 was the least lipophilic compound with the highest aquatic toxicity. A molecular docking study showed that compounds 9 and 8 bind directly to the active site of AChE. Coumarinyl Schiff bases are promising active components of plant protection products, safe for the environment, human health, and nontarget organisms.     

Identification of potential inhibitor and enzyme-inhibitor complex on trypanothione reductase to control Chagas disease

Chagas is a parasitic disease with major threat to public health due to its resistance against commonly available drugs. Trypanothione reductase (TryR) is the key enzyme to develop this disease. Though this enzyme is well thought-out as potential drug target, the accurate structure of enzyme-inhibitor complex is required to design a potential inhibitor which is less available for TryR. In this research, we aimed to investigate the advanced drug over the available existing drugs by designing inhibitors as well as to identify a new enzyme-inhibitor complex that may act as a template for drug design. A set of analogues were designed from a known inhibitor Quinacrine Mustard (QUM) to identify the effective inhibitor against this enzyme. Further, the pharmacoinformatics elucidation and structural properties of designed inhibitor proposed effective drug candidates against Chagas disease. Molecular docking study suggests that a designed inhibitor has higher binding affinity in both crystal and modeled TryR and also poses similar interacting residues as of crystal TryR-QUM complex structure. The comparative studies based on in silico prediction proposed an enzyme-inhibitor complex which could be effective to control the disease activity. So our in silico analysis based on TryR built model, Pharmacophore and docking analysis might play an important role for the development of novel therapy for Chagas disease. But both animal model experiments and clinical trials must be done to confirm the efficacy of the therapy.     

A molecular docking study of potential inhibitors and repurposed drugs against SARS-CoV-2 main protease enzyme

COVID-19 has affected millions of people. Although many drugs are in use to combat disease, there is not any sufficient treatment yet. Having critical role in propagation of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) works Main Protease up into a significant drug target. We have performed a molecular docking study to define possible inhibitor candidates against SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease enzyme. Besides docking Remdesivir, Ribavirin, Chloroquine and 28 other antiviral inhibitors (totally 31 inhibitors) to Main Protease enzyme, we have also performed a molecular docking study of 2177 ligands, which are used against Main Protease for the first time by using molecular docking program Autodock4. All ligands were successfully docked into Main Protease enzyme binding site. Among all ligands, EY16 coded ligand which previously used as EBNA1-DNA binding blocker candidate showed the best score for Main Protease with a binding free energy of −10.83 ​kcal/mol which was also lower than re-docking score of N3 ligand (−10.72 ​kcal/mol) contained in crystal structure of Main Protease. After analyzing the docking modes and docking scores we have found that our ligands have better binding free energy values than the inhibitors in use of treatment. We believe that further studies such as molecular dynamics or Molecular Mechanic Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area studies can make contribution that is more exhaustive to the docking results.