Identification of Phytochemical Inhibitors Targeting VEGFA and TGFBR2 of Cervical Cancer: Insights from Virtual Screening, ADMET and DFT Studies

Abstract

AbstractThe vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Transforming Growth Factor Beta type II receptor (TGFBR2) serves as a promising candidate in the treatment of cervical cancer, playing a crucial role in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. Its involvement in cervical cancer has been well documented. The pursuit of phytochemical inhibitors to counteract the cancer promoting effects of VEGFA and TGFBR2 has gained considerable momentum as very few drugs are available. In this study, we employed computational techniques to identify potential VEGFA and TGFBR2 inhibitors from 101 phytochemicals. The Spirosolane, Withaferin A & Silybin B for VEGFA and Ginkgetin, Hesperedin for TGFBR2 were identified as promising candidates as indicated by their favorable docking scores and robust energy profiles. Furthermore, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, and Toxicity (ADMET) profile indicating that Spirosolane and Ginkgetin exhibit favorable drug‐like properties and medicinal chemistry characteristics, suggesting their potential as novel drug candidates. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies revealed that these compounds exhibited the highest electrophilicity index for occupied molecular orbitals, basicity, and dipole moment, all contributing to their stability and strong binding affinity at the active site. To advance this line of research, additional experimental validation is warranted to facilitate the development of highly selective and effective VEGFA and TGFBR2 inhibitors.