Multifunctional Chalcone Scaffolds: Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activities Supported by Molecular Docking

Abstract

Chalcone scaffolds are α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds that contain biologically active functional groups, making them promising candidates for various therapeutic applications. Three chalcone derivatives (XA–XF) were synthesized via the Claisen–Schmidt condensation reaction and characterized using FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. Their biological activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer properties, were evaluated. Among the tested compounds, XB exhibited the highest antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones of 29 and 21 mm against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, respectively. XA demonstrated superior antioxidant activity, showing enhanced DPPH radical scavenging effects at higher concentrations compared with ascorbic acid. Cytotoxicity assays on MCF-7 breast cancer cells revealed significant growth inhibition, reducing cell viability to 21% at a concentration of 320 ppm. In silico molecular docking studies against dihydrofolate reductase targets (PDB IDs: 8PVV and 1RX2) indicated that all tested derivatives exhibited binding affinities lower than −7 kcal/mol. Although the study was limited to a small number of microbial strains and a single cancer cell line, both experimental and computational findings suggest that structural modifications of the chalcone core can enhance antibacterial and anticancer activities, highlighting the potential of these derivatives as lead compounds for further drug development.