%0 Journal Article
%A Ibáñez Escribano, Alexandra
%A Mello, A.B.
%A Fenalti, J.M.
%A Baccega, B
%A Wahast Islabão, Y.
%A Martins, F. O.
%A Birmann, P. T.
%A Casaril, A. M.
%A Barbosa, T. N.
%A Sena-Lopes, A.
%A Monteiro, F. L.
%A Savegnago, L.
%A Borsuk, S.
%A Hubner, S. d. O.
%A Farias, N. d. A. d. R
%A Ibáñez-Escribano, Alexandra
%A Oliveira, C. B.
%T First Insights into the Biological Activity and Molecular Docking of Citral (3,7-Dimethyl-2,6-Octadienal) Against Trichomonas vaginalis.
%D 2025
%U https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/122254
%X The increasing resistance of Trichomonas vaginalis to the only approved chemical family of drugs for treatment, the 5-nitroimidazoles, has prompted the exploration of new therapeutic agents against this prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection. Natural products have emerged as a significant source of novel treatments for trichomoniasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-T. vaginalis activity of citral (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal), the main constituent of the essential oil of Cymbopogon species, commonly known as lemongrass. Our findings indicate that citral exhibits a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 100 μM, effectively inhibiting the growth of T. vaginalis trophozoites within 12 h of exposure, and a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of approximately 40 μM after 24 h. Furthermore, the evaluation of nitric oxide (NO) levels suggests that citral possesses antioxidant properties. Molecular docking studies reveal a weak interaction with three parasite proteins: thioredoxin reductase (TvTrxR), purine nucleoside phosphorylase (TvPNP), and methionine gamma lyase (TvMGL). The present study highlights the potential of citral as a candidate for the development of no-nitroimidazole drugs, offering new avenues for trichomoniasis treatment and underscoring the importance of further investigation into citral’s mechanism of action.
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