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Akermi S, Smaoui S, Chaari M, Elhadef K, Gentile R, Hait M, Roymahapatra G, Mellouli L. Combined in vitro/in silico approaches, molecular dynamics simulations and safety assessment of the multifunctional properties of thymol and carvacrol: A comparative insight. Chem Biodivers 2024; 21:e202301575. [PMID: 38116885 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202301575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Bioactive compounds derived from medicinal plants have acquired immense attentiveness in drug discovery and development. The present study investigated in vitro and predicted in silico the antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties of thymol and carvacrol, and assessed their safety. The performed microbiological assays against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica Typhimurium revealed that the minimal inhibitory concentration values ranged from (0.078 to 0.312 mg/mL) and the minimal fungicidal concentration against Candida albicans was 0.625 mg/mL. Molecular docking simulations, stipulated that these compounds could inhibit bacterial replication and transcription functions by targeting DNA and RNA polymerases receptors with docking scores varying between (-5.1 to -6.9 kcal/mol). Studied hydroxylated monoterpenes could hinder C. albicans growth by impeding lanosterol 14α-demethylase enzyme and showed a (ΔG=-6.2 and -6.3 kcal/mol). Computational studies revealed that thymol and carvacrol could target the SARS-Cov-2 spike protein of the Omicron variant RBD domain. Molecular dynamics simulations disclosed that these compounds have a stable dynamic behavior over 100 ns as compared to remdesivir. Chemo-computational toxicity prediction using Protox II webserver indicated that thymol and carvacrol could be safely and effectively used as drug candidates to tackle bacterial, fungal, and viral infections as compared to chemical medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarra Akermi
- Laboratory of Microbial and Enzymatic Biotechnologies and Biomolecules. Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour Km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax, 3018, Sfax-, Tunisia
| | - Slim Smaoui
- Laboratory of Microbial and Enzymatic Biotechnologies and Biomolecules. Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour Km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax, 3018, Sfax-, Tunisia
| | - Moufida Chaari
- Laboratory of Microbial and Enzymatic Biotechnologies and Biomolecules. Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour Km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax, 3018, Sfax-, Tunisia
| | - Khaoula Elhadef
- Laboratory of Microbial and Enzymatic Biotechnologies and Biomolecules. Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour Km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax, 3018, Sfax-, Tunisia
| | - Rocco Gentile
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Milan Hait
- Department of Chemistry, Dr. C. V. Raman University, Kota, 495113, Bilaspur, India
| | | | - Lotfi Mellouli
- Laboratory of Microbial and Enzymatic Biotechnologies and Biomolecules. Center of Biotechnology of Sfax (CBS), University of Sfax, Road of Sidi Mansour Km 6, P.O. Box 1177, Sfax, 3018, Sfax-, Tunisia
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