Synthesis and In Silico Study of Pectolinarigenin-Metronidazole Hybrid Molecule as Anti-Helicobacter pylori

Metronidazole is an antibiotic used to treat Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium responsible for chronic infections in humans that cause gastric inflammation, ulcers, and cancer. However, its long-term administration is limited by toxicity and increased resistance. In the search for more effective agents against H. pylori infection, molecular hybridization has now been applied to the synthesis of the new compound 3. Its structure connects the metronidazole moiety to pectolinarigenin, the latter obtained by acid hydrolysis of glycosylated flavonoids isolated from the plant Linaria reflexa Desf. The NOE effect supported the C-7 functionalization of 3, as evidenced by the energy-minimized DFT-calculated structure. The new molecule enriches the chemical space of known metronidazole-flavonoid analogs, among which the genistein derivative 2 was reported as the most active in inhibiting bacterial strains. The computational analysis of 2 and 3 compared with metronidazole as the reference has provided favorable data for both Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME) predictions and the probability of anti-H. pylori activity, besides rising docking evaluation on three specific targets and dynamics simulation as inhibitors of the flavodoxin enzyme. The results are promising for further in-depth biological investigation.