Arenaria serpyllifolia as a Natural Antiviolaceum Agent: Phytochemical, Biological, and Molecular Approaches

Arenaria serpyllifolia extract exhibits strong antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antiquorum sensing activities. Key compounds, including levoglucosan and guanosine, show potent CviR receptor binding. Violacein inhibition and molecular dynamics confirm their stability, highlighting their potential as quorum sensing inhibitors and therapeutic leads.

This study investigates the antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antiquorum sensing activities of Arenaria serpyllifolia extract. A methanolic extract from the plant's above-ground parts is prepared via maceration. The extract exhibits strong antioxidant properties (DPPH IC₅₀: 355.54 ± 20.62 μg mL⁻¹) and iron chelating ability (IC₅₀: 5.30 ± 4.44 mg mL⁻¹). Total flavonoid and phenolic contents are 75.15 ± 2.73 mg quercetin equivalent g⁻¹ and 150.83 ± 11.24 mg gallic acid equivalent g⁻¹, respectively. Antimicrobial tests show notable activity against Chromobacterium violaceum (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) < 5 mg mL⁻¹). Antibiofilm effects are significant with 82.52% and 81.32% inhibition at MIC and sub-MIC levels. The extract also inhibits violacein production in the C. violaceum CV12472 strain (90.76% at MIC). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis identifies seven major compounds, including allyl isothiocyanate and levoglucosan. Molecular docking reveals levoglucosan as the most potent CviR receptor binder (−6.8 kcal mol⁻¹). These interactions suggest possible quorum sensing inhibition via antagonism. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm the stability of the ligand–receptor complexes, highlighting guanosine and levoglucosan as promising leads for drug development.

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