Chalcone Scaffolds Exhibiting Acetylcholinesterase Enzyme Inhibition: Mechanistic and Computational Investigations

Yossra A. Malik, Talal Ahmed Awad, Mohnad Abdalla, Sakina Yagi, Hassan A. Alhazmi, Waquar Ahsan, Mohammed Albratty, Asim Najmi, Shabbir Muhammad, Asaad Khalid

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study was aimed to perform the mechanistic investigations of chalcone scaffold as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation tools. Basic chalcones (C1–C5) were synthesized and their in vitro AChE inhibition was tested. Binding interactions were studied using AutoDock and Surflex-Dock programs, whereas the molecular dynamics simulation studies were performed to check the stability of the ligand–protein complex. Good AChE inhibition (IC50 = 22 ± 2.8 to 37.6 ± 0.75 μM) in correlation with the in silico results (binding energies = −8.55 to −8.14 Kcal/mol) were obtained. The mechanistic studies showed that all of the functionalities present in the chalcone scaffold were involved in binding with the amino acid residues at the binding site through hydrogen bonding, π–π, π–cation, π–sigma, and hydrophobic interactions. Molecular dynamics simulation studies showed the formation of stable complex between the AChE enzyme and C4 ligand.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3181
JournalMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Volume27
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2022
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Organic Chemistry

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