Synthesis, anti-ferroptosis, anti-quorum sensing, antibacterial and DNA interaction studies of chromene-hydrazone derivatives

Nineteen chromene-hydrazone derivatives containing a variety of structural modifications on the hydrazone moiety were synthesized. Structure-activity correlations were investigated to determine the influence of structural variations on anti-ferroptosis, anti-quorum sensing, antibacterial, DNA cleavage and DNA binding properties. Ferroptosis inhibitory activity was determined by measuring the ability of the derivatives to reverse erastin-induced ferroptosis. Several of the derivatives were more effective than fisetin at inhibiting ferroptosis, with the thiosemicarbazone derivative being the most effective. Quorum sensing inhibition was evaluated using Vibrio harveyi, and both V. harveyi and Staphylococcus aureus were used to determine antibacterial activity. The semicarbazone and benzensulfonyl hydrazone derivatives showed moderate quorum sensing inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 27 μM and 22 μM, respectively, while a few aryl hydrazone and pyridyl hydrazone derivatives showed bacterial growth inhibition, with MIC values ranging from 3.9 to 125 μM. In addition, the interaction of the hydrazone derivatives with DNA was investigated by gel electrophoresis, UV-Vis spectroscopy and molecular docking. All of the derivatives cleaved plasmid DNA and showed favorable interaction with B-DNA through minor groove binding. Overall, this work highlights a broad range of pharmacological applications for chromene-hydrazone derivatives.