Predicting Plasmodium falciparum kinase inhibitors from antimalarial medicinal herbs using computational modeling approach

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge, with resistance to available drugs necessitating the development of novel therapies targeting invasion-dependent proteins. Plasmodium falciparum calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (PfCDPK-1) is essential for host erythrocyte invasion and parasite asexual development. This study screened a library of 490 compounds using computational methods to identify potential PfCDPK-1 inhibitors. Three compounds; 17-hydroxyazadiradione, Picracin, and Epicatechin-gallate derived from known antimalarial botanicals, showed potent inhibitory effects on PfCDPK-1. These compounds exhibited better binding affinities (−8.8, −9.1, −9.3 kCal/mol respectively), pharmacokinetics, and physicochemical properties than the purported inhibitory standard of PfCDPK-1, Purfalcamine. Molecular dynamics simulations (50 ns) and molecular mechanics analyses confirmed the stability and binding rigidity of these compounds at the active pocket of PfCDPK-1. The results suggest that these compounds are promising pharmacological targets with potential therapeutic effects for malaria treatment/management without undesirable side effects. Therefore, this study provides new insights into the development of effective antimalarial agents targeting invasion-dependent proteins, which could help combat the global malaria burden.