Molecular Docking and In Silico Cogitation Validate Mefenamic Acid Prodrugs as Human Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitor

In silico molecular docking is an efficient technique for drug design that predicts the optimized orientation of the ligand against a specific drug target. This is a cost-effective and time-saving technique that requires limited manpower. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed drugs in various prescriptions. The drawbacks with NSAIDs in its long-term usage are gastric irritation, bleeding, and perforation. Prodrug approach is a commonly used method to overcome these side effects. In this study, the reported prodrugs of mefenamic acid were utilized to validate the molecular docking simulation process by comparing obtained in silico results with the reported in vivo results. The molecules were evaluated for their binding affinity against human cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme as well as their pharmacokinetics profile is predicted on the basis of Lipinski's and Veber rule. The in silico result showed high degree similarity with experimental results. This confirms the efficiency and reliability of the molecular docking technique for identification of potential lead compounds.