Malaria is a huge global health burden with resistance to currently available medicines resulting in the search for newer antimalarial compounds from traditional medicinal plants in malaria-endemic regions. Previous studies on two chalcones, homobutein and 5-prenylbutein, present in E. abyssinica, have shown moderate antiplasmodial activity. Here, we describe results from experimental and computational investigations of four structurally related chalcones, butein, 2′,4′-dihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxychalcone (DHDM), homobutein and 5-prenylbutein to elucidate possible molecular mechanisms by which these compounds clear malaria parasites. The crystal structures of butein and DHDM show that butein engages in more hydrogen bonding and consequently, more intermolecular interactions than DHDM. Rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) voltammetry results show that butein has a higher antioxidant activity towards the superoxide radical anion compared to DHDM. Computational docking experiments were conducted to examine the inhibitory potential of all four compounds on falcipain-2, a cysteine protease that is involved in the degradation of hemoglobin in plasmodium-infected red blood cells of the host. Overall, this work suggests butein as a better antimalarial compound due to its structural features which allow it to have greater intermolecular interactions, higher antioxidant activity and to create a covalent complex at the active site of falcipain-2.

Isoflavones are plant-derived natural products commonly found in legumes that show a large spectrum of biomedical activities. A common antidiabetic remedy in traditional Chinese medicine, Astragalus trimestris L. contains the isoflavone formononetin (FMNT). Literature reports show that FMNT can increase insulin sensitivity and potentially target the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, PPARγ, as a partial agonist. PPARγ is highly relevant for diabetes control and plays a major role in Type 2 diabetes mellitus development. In this study, we evaluate the biological role of FMNT, and three related isoflavones, genistein, daidzein and biochanin A, using several computational and experimental procedures. Our results reveal the FMNT X-ray crystal structure has strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions which are useful for antioxidant action. Cyclovoltammetry rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) measurements show that all four isoflavones behave in a similar manner when scavenging the superoxide radical. DFT calculations conclude that antioxidant activity is based on the familiar superoxide σ-scavenging mode involving hydrogen capture of ring-A H7(hydroxyl) as well as the π–π (polyphenol–superoxide) scavenging activity. These results suggest the possibility of their mimicking superoxide dismutase (SOD) action and help explain the ability of natural polyphenols to assist in lowering superoxide concentrations. The SOD metalloenzymes all dismutate O2•− to H2O2 plus O2 through metal ion redox chemistry whereas these polyphenolic compounds do so through suitable hydrogen bonding and stacking intermolecular interactions. Additionally, docking calculations suggest FMNT can be a partial agonist of the PPARγ domain. Overall, our work confirms the efficacy in combining multidisciplinary approaches to provide insight into the mechanism of action of small molecule polyphenol antioxidants. Our findings promote the further exploration of other natural products, including those known to be effective in traditional Chinese medicine for potential drug design in diabetes research.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract