title: Insights into antifolate activity of phytochemicals against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic drug resistant pathogen. Drug interaction studies for phytochemicals (protocatechuic acid (PA), gallic acid (GA), quercetin (QUER), and myricetin (MYR)) in combination with antifolates (sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP)) are presented. Our results show that the combinations of SMX and phytochemicals are synergistic, whereas TMP in combination with phytochemicals results in additive mode of interaction. Molecular docking of phytochemicals in the active site of modeled P. aeruginosa dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), an important enzyme in the folic acid biosynthesis pathway, shows that the phytochemicals QUER and MYR dock in the active site of P. aeruginosa DHFR with promoted binding at the NADP site, PA, and GA dock in the active site of P. aeruginosa DHFR with promoted binding at the folate binding site. Possible mode of action of these phytochemicals as anti-DHFR compounds in this bacterium is suggested. Taken together, the above findings provide novel insights to mode of interactions of these phytochemicals with antibiotics and may have significance as prospective leads in the development of antipseudomonal drug developments.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering Research Centre, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors.forename: Premkumar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jayaraman
authors.forename: Kishore R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Sakharkar
authors.forename: Lim Chu
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Sing
authors.forename: Vincent T K
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Meena K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sakharkar
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D005493:Folic Acid Antagonists; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase