Design, molecular docking and antimicrobial assessment of newly synthesized p-cuminal-sulfonamide Schiff base derivatives

Abstract Antibiotic resistance of bacteria and fungi has been brewing for decades and has now surfaced as a potential public health emergency, globally. Thus, newer potent drug candidates are needed urgently to overcome antibiotic-resistant episodes. As an attempt to overcome the antimicrobial multi-drug resistance problems, a new series of p-cuminal sulfonamide Schiff base congeners 3a-3h were designed, synthesized, and their structures confirmed by several spectral studies. The antimicrobial activities assessment of obtained products was carried out against pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and against pathogenic fungi Candida tropicalis and Trichophyton rubrum. Among them, 3b exhibited significant inhibition of all the strains of bacteria with MIC as 3.12μg/mL and the compound 3e exhibited the most promising control against both C. tropicalis and T. rubrum (MIC 6.25μg/mL) in comparison to Ketoconazole as well as good inhibition against both S. aureus and MRSA at MIC 6.25 μg/mL The presence of sulfamoyl and azomethine groups and some of heteroaryl rings in individual molecules could have increased the antibacterial actions, while the antifungal action could be attributed to the presence of guanyl and acetyl groups in the molecular structure. Furthermore, in silico investigation and drug-likeness have been ascertained with biological targets.