Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41286755›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2025

Identification of potential novel aromatase inhibitors as therapeutic strategies against breast cancer: insight into molecular docking, MD simulations and ADMET profiling.

Olayinka Abraham Ojedele, Norah Hamdi, Mohammed H Al Mughram, Esmael M Alyami, Mohammed Dauelbait, Omar A Almohammed

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Olayinka Abraham OjedeleDepartment of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria. ojedeleolayinka@gmail.com.
Norah HamdiDepartment of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, PO Box 960, Abha, Asir, 61421, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed H Al MughramDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Postal Code, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia.
Esmael M AlyamiDepartment of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, PO Box 960, Abha, Asir, 61421, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed DauelbaitSwalife Biotech Ltd Unit 3D North Point House, North Point Business Park, Cork, Ireland. Dauelbaitresearcher@gmail.com.
Omar A AlmohammedDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. almohammed@KSU.EDU.SA.

Funding

King Saud University ORF-2025-77
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBreast cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Reports show that overexpression of estrogen and estrogen receptors is a key driver of many breast cancers, and aromatase (CYP19A1) plays a central role in estrogen biosynthesis. Existing aromatase inhibitors such as Letrozole, androstenedione etc., often have side effects and drug resistance issues, hence there is a need for novel inhibitors with improved safety.

methodsWe retrieved 72 phytochemical compounds from Ricinus communis and compared them against Letrozole via structure-based in silico screening. Ligands were docked to aromatase (PDB ID: 3EQM) using AutoDock Vina in PyRx. Top hits were evaluated for drug-likeness via Lipinski's rule, and pharmacokinetic/toxicity parameters using SwissADME, admetSAR 2.0, and pkCSM. The binding modes were visualized, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (100 ns) with GROMACS were performed to assess stability, complemented by analyses of RMSD, RMSF, radius of gyration, and hydrogen bonds.

resultsOf the 72 compounds screened, 10 exhibited more negative docking scores than Letrozole's - 8.3 kcal/mol. Three compounds, including Stigmasterol (- 10.5 kcal/mol), Fucosterol (- 10.2 kcal/mol), and 7-oxo-β-sitosterol (≈ - 9.3 kcal/mol) were selected as top hits. These compounds formed favorable hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions with key active site residues (including MET374, ALA306, TRP224). All three satisfy Lipinski's criteria and showed favorable ADMET profiles (good absorption, non-carcinogenic, minimal predicted CYP-inhibition). MD trajectories indicated that the complexes remain stable over 100 ns, with RMSD fluctuations within acceptable ranges and consistent hydrogen bonding.

conclusionThe three phytochemicals identified from Ricinus communis show promise as novel aromatase inhibitors with superior binding and favorable pharmacokinetic predictions compared to Letrozole. These compounds warrant further in vitro and in vivo study as potential breast cancer therapeutics.

Indexed as

AromataseAromatase InhibitorsBreast NeoplasmsFemaleHumansHydrogen BondingLetrozoleLigandsMolecular Docking SimulationMolecular Dynamics SimulationAromataseAromatase InhibitorsCYP19A1 protein, humanLetrozoleLigandsAromataseBreast cancerCastor oilMolecular Dynamics simulationMolecular modeling

Identifiers

PMID41286755
PMCPMC12645704

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.