Density Functional Theory Calculations and Molecular Docking Analyses of Flavonoids for Their Possible Application against the Acetylcholinesterase and Triose-Phosphate Isomerase Proteins of <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i>

oleh: Nosheen Malak, Bader S. Alotaibi, Afshan Khan, Adil Khan, Shakir Ullah, Nasreen Nasreen, Sadaf Niaz, Chien-Chin Chen

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2023-04-01

Deskripsi

Ticks and tick-borne diseases constitute a substantial hazard to the livestock industry. The rising costs and lack of availability of synthetic chemical acaricides for farmers with limited resources, tick resistance to current acaricides, and residual issues in meat and milk consumed by humans further aggravate the situation. Developing innovative, eco-friendly tick management techniques, such as natural products and commodities, is vital. Similarly, searching for effective and feasible treatments for tick-borne diseases is essential. Flavonoids are a class of natural chemicals with multiple bioactivities, including the inhibition of enzymes. We selected eighty flavonoids having enzyme inhibitory, insecticide, and pesticide properties. Flavonoids’ inhibitory effects on the acetylcholinesterase (AChE1) and triose-phosphate isomerase (TIM) proteins of <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> were examined utilizing a molecular docking approach. Our research demonstrated that flavonoids interact with the active areas of proteins. Seven flavonoids (methylenebisphloridzin, thearubigin, fortunellin, quercetagetin-7-<i>O</i>-(6-<i>O</i>-caffeoyl-β-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">d</span>-glucopyranoside), quercetagetin-7-<i>O</i>-(6-<i>O</i>-<i>p</i>-coumaroyl-β-glucopyranoside), rutin, and kaempferol 3-neohesperidoside) were the most potent AChE1 inhibitors, while the other three flavonoids (quercetagetin-7-<i>O</i>-(6-<i>O</i>-caffeoyl-β-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">d</span>-glucopyranoside), isorhamnetin, and liquiritin) were the potent inhibitors of TIM. These computationally-driven discoveries are beneficial and can be utilized in assessing drug bioavailability in both in vitro and in vivo settings. This knowledge can create new strategies for managing ticks and tick-borne diseases.