Abstract

Background: Chalcones have been demonstrated to possess numerous therapeutic qualities in recent years, such as antibacterial, antiviral, anti-ulcerative, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antihyperglycemic, antimalarial, antitubercular, analgesic, antiplatelet, and anticancer activities.

Objective: To explore the synthesis, docking, and therapeutic characteristics of chalcones as antibacterial and anthelmintic compounds.

Methods: The chalcone derivatives (3a-3k) and (6l-6v) were synthesized via two selective different reactions, based on the Claisen-Schmidt reaction. All synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activity using an in vitro cup-plate method, and their anthelmintic activity was assessed using an in vitro earthworm paralysis and death assay. To validate these findings, conducted molecular docking experiments between the dihydrofolate reductase receptor (PDB ID: 4LAE) and the synthesised compounds (3a-3k) and (6l-6v) to determine catalytic interactions.

Results: Compound 6(n) exhibited the greatest efficacy in biological in vitro activity against S. aureus compared to all other compounds examined. Compound 6(o) exhibited substantial efficacy against P. posthuma and E. coli. Emphasizing these findings, the compounds 3(a), 3(g), 3(i), 6(n), and 6(o) demonstrated hydrogen bond interactions with certain amino acid residues of the receptor, including THR 122, ASN 18, ASN19, GLN 96, SER 50, and ALA 8, during molecular docking.

Conclusion: The study results showed that the synthesised derivative (E)-1-(napthalen-2-yl)-3-(4- (trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one 6(n) had beneficial antibacterial properties against S. aureus, while derivative (E)-1-(Napthalen-2-yl)-3-(4-trifluoromethyl)phenyl)prop-2-en-1-one 6(o) exhibited antibacterial activity against E. coli and anthlelmintic activity against P. posthuma.

Keywords: Chalcones, antibacterials, anthelmintics, molecular docking, DHFR receptor, E. coli, 1-phenylethanone, 1-(naphthalen- 2-yl)ethanone.