%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. %~