First Insights into the Biological Activity and Molecular Docking of Citral (3,7-Dimethyl-2, 6-Octadienal) Against <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i>

First Insights into the Biological Activity and Molecular Docking of Citral (3,7-Dimethyl-2, 6-Octadienal) Against <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i>

The increasing resistance of <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i> to the only approved chemical family of drugs for treatment, the 5-nitroimidazoles, has prompted the exploration of new therapeutic agents against this prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection. Natural products have emer...

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Main Authors: Alexia Brauner de Mello, Juliana Montelli Fenalti, Bruna Baccega, Yan Wahast Islabão, Filipe Obelar Martins, Paloma Taborda Birmann, Angela Maria Casaril, Tallyson Nogueira Barbosa, Angela Sena-Lopes, Francieli Liz Monteiro, Lucielli Savegnago, Sibele Borsuk, Silvia de Oliveira Hubner, Nara de Amélia da Rosa Farias, Alexandra Ibáñez-Escribano, Camila Belmonte Oliveira
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Microbiology Research
Subjects:
natural products
sexually transmitted infection
trichomoniasis
nitric oxide
lemongrass
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7481/16/5/96
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Summary:The increasing resistance of <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i> to the only approved chemical family of drugs for treatment, the 5-nitroimidazoles, has prompted the exploration of new therapeutic agents against this prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection. Natural products have emerged as a significant source of novel treatments for trichomoniasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-<i>T. vaginalis</i> activity of citral (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal), the main constituent of the essential oil of <i>Cymbopogon</i> species, commonly known as lemongrass. Our findings indicate that citral exhibits a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 100 μM, effectively inhibiting the growth of <i>T. vaginalis</i> trophozoites within 12 h of exposure, and a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC<sub>50</sub>) of approximately 40 μM after 24 h. Furthermore, the evaluation of nitric oxide (NO) levels suggests that citral possesses antioxidant properties. Molecular docking studies reveal a weak interaction with three parasite proteins: thioredoxin reductase (TvTrxR), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (TvPNP), and methionine gamma lyase (TvMGL). The present study highlights the potential of citral as a candidate for the development of no-nitroimidazole drugs, offering new avenues for trichomoniasis treatment and underscoring the importance of further investigation into citral’s mechanism of action.
ISSN:2036-7481

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