Identification of chalcone derivatives as putative non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors potentially useful against breast cancer by molecular docking and ADME prediction

Aromatase is an influential target to overcome estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, as the enzyme is responsible for conversion of androstenedione to estrone, a promising drug target for therapeutic management of breast cancer. Chalcones are prominent biosynthetic compounds and parent candidate for the synthesis of heterocycles with diversified biological activities. The prime objective of the present study is to evaluate the binding interaction of 2-hydroxyphenyl- prop-2-en-1-one (1A-1X), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl- prop-2-en-1-one (3A-3X), 2,4-dihydroxyphenyl- prop-2-en-1-one (9A-9X) and 1-hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl-prop-2-en-1-one (5A-5X) derivatives with aromatase enzyme by molecular docking study and also check their ADME properties by maestro suit. The designed chalcones derivatives have been docked against our target protein with PDB id 3S7S retrieved from the protein data bank, whereas exemestane has been taken as the positive control. As docking data revealed that docking score of 1K, 1U, 1B 3K 3N, 5K, 5U, 9S, 9K, 9N and 9F compounds found less than exemestane and all of these compounds with appropriate ADME properties have proven their excellent absorption as well as solubility characteristics. The present findings provided valuable information about binding interactions of chalcones derivatives to the active site of aromatase. These compounds may serve as potential lead compound for developing new aromatase inhibitors in breast cancer treatment.