Chalcones isolated from Arrabidaea brachypoda flowers as inhibitors of nora and mepa multidrug efflux pumps of Staphylococcus aureus

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a public health issue around the world. The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of chalcones isolated from flowers of Arrabidaea brachypoda, and their potential as efflux pump inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus efflux pumps. Microdilution assays were performed with natural products from A. brachypoda. Chalcones 1, 3, 4, and 5 did not show intrinsic antimicrobial activity against all S. aureus strains tested, but they were able to potentiate the Norfloxacin action against the SA1199-B (norA) strain, with a better modulating action for the 4 trimethoxylated chalcone. All chalcones were also able to potentiate the action of EtBr against SA1199-B strain, suggesting a potential NorA inhibition. Moreover, chalcone 4 was able to interfere in the activity of MepA, and interfered weakly in the QacA/B activity. Molecular docking analyzes showed that tested chalcones are capable of binding in the hydrophobic cavity of NorA and MepA, in the same Norfloxacin binding site, indicating that chalcone 4 compete with the antibiotic for the same NorA and MepA binding sites. Association of chalcone 4 with Norfloxacin could be an alternative against multidrug resistant S. aureus over-productive of NorA or MepA.This study was funded by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Piauí (grant number: 050/2019) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico—CNPq (grant number: 050/2019), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Maranhão (grant number: 00849/18-Universal) and CAPES (grant number: 88887.472618/2019-00-PROCAD-AM)

Structural, vibrational and electrochemical analysis and antibacterial potential of isomeric chalcones derived from natural acetophenone

Background: Chalcones are part of a family of small phenolic compounds that are being extensively studied for presenting a diversity of molecular structures and biological activities. In this paper, two chalcones, (E)-1-(2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-3-(3-nitrophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (1), (E)-1-(2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (2), were synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation. Methods: The molecular structures of these chalcones were determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and characterized by infrared, Raman spectroscopy, and electrochemical analysis at room temperature. Vibrational wavenumbers were predicted using Functional Density Theory (DFT) calculations, and their normal modes were analyzed in terms of potential energy distribution (PED). Besides this, DFT calculations were performed to obtain the molecular orbitals and their quantum descriptors. The UV-Vis absorption spectrumof the synthesized chalcones was measured and compared with each other. In addition, analyses of antimicrobial activity and modulation of antibiotic resistance were carried out to assess the antibacterial potential of these chalcones. Results: The vibrational spectra of polycrystalline chalcones obtained by ATR-FTIR, FT-Raman and DFT calculations allowed a complete assignment of the vibrational modes, and revealed the quantum chemical parameters. Both chalcones did not show good responses when associated with the antibiotics Ciprofloxacin and Cephalexin against S. aureus 10 and E. coli 06 strains. However, a significant potentiating of the Gentamicin activity against S. aureus 10 and E. col 06 strains was observed for chalcone 2. On the other hand, when associated with Norfloxacin, an antagonistic effect was observed. The results found for EtBr suggest that, although the tested chalcones behave as eux pump inhibitors, probably inhibiting other eux pumps, they were not able to inhibit NorA. Thus, these synthetic chalcones are not recommended for use in association with Norfloxacin against strains of S. aureus 1199-B that overexpress the NorA gene. Conclusions: Spectroscopic data confirmed the structure of the chalcones, and chalcone 2 showed potential as an adjuvant in antibiotic therapy.This research was funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico-CNPq, Grant number nº: 305719/2018-1