Exploration of bioactive compounds from Mangifera indica (Mango) as probable inhibitors of thymidylate synthase and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-Κb) in colorectal cancer management

Abstract This research is aimed at investigating the anti-colorectal cancer activities of phytochemicals from Mangifera indica (Mango) via the inhibition of thymidylate synthase (TS) and Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF–κB) using computational chemistry tools. Ligands (141 phytochemicals previously isolated from mangoes) and reference drugs (Raltitrexed and Emetine), the drug inhibitors of TS and NF–κB, respectively) were subjected to screening via ADMET profiling, drug-likeness analysis, oral bioavailability, PASS profile, and molecular interactions. Ligands that passed the previously mentioned screening were docked in duplicate against the target receptors (TS and NF–κB) using PyRx software. The mean values were calculated to obtain suitable docking scores. The analysis showed that TS was strongly inhibited by Friedelan-3beta-Ol with its lower binding energy of −9.0 kcal/mol more than Raltitrexed with a binding energy of −8.7 kcal/mol. NF–κB was also inhibited by Friedelan-3beta-Ol and Friedelin with binding energies of −8.0 and −8.1 kcal/mol, respectively, more than Emetine with a binding energy of −6.4 kcal/mol. These two phytochemicals performed much better than the standard drugs, thus selected as the best hits compounds because of their ADMET profile, drug-likeness properties, bioactivity, oral bioavailability, PASS prediction, binding affinities, and their interactions with the amino acids in the active sites of the receptors. Therefore, further studies are necessary for the validation of these claims toward the development of new effective and safer anti-colorectal cancer drugs.