Interaction between the Antimalarial Drug Dispiro-Tetraoxanes and Human Serum Albumin: A Combined Study with Spectroscopic Methods and Computational Studies

Dispiro-tetraoxanes, a class of fully synthetic peroxides which can be used as an antiplasmodial remedy for multiple drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, were selected for the interaction study with human serum albumin (HSA). The insight into the interaction of the two chemically synthesized, most potent antimalarial tetraoxane analogues (TO1 and TO2) and HSA has been scrutinized using distinct spectroscopic techniques such as. UV-visible absorption, fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD). Fluorescence quenching experiments divulged the static mode of quenching and binding constants obtained (similar to 10(4)) indicated the moderate affinity of the analogues to HSA. CD confirmed the conformational changes in the serum albumin upon interaction with these analogues. Molecular docking validated the empirical results as these two analogues bind through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding with HSA. Present work first defined the binding mechanism of dispiro-tetraoxanes with HSA and thus provides a fresh insight into the drug transportation and metabolism. The present study could direct toward designing more potent tetraoxane analogues for their use in the biomedical field.