Author(s): Nurul Jannatul Wahidah, Revi Gama Hatta Novika, Siti Nurhidayati, Atriany Nilam Sari, Rufidah Maulina, Luluk Fajria Maulida, Gabriella Chandrakirana Krisnamurti, Khim Yatul Nguzum, Lanjar Sumarno

Email(s): njwahidah@staff.uns.ac.id

DOI: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00457   

Address: Nurul Jannatul Wahidah1*, Revi Gama Hatta Novika1, Siti Nurhidayati1, Atriany Nilam Sari1, Rufidah Maulina1, Luluk Fajria Maulida1, Gabriella Chandrakirana Krisnamurti2, Khim Yatul Nguzum2, Lanjar Sumarno3
1Midwifery Study Program, Medical Faculty, Sebelas Maret University Surakarta, Indonesia.
2Graduate Program of Bioscience, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Sebelas Maret University Surakarta, Indonesia.
3Research Center for Agroindustry, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.
*Corresponding Author

Published In:   Volume - 19,      Issue - 7,     Year - 2026


ABSTRACT:
Females in their reproductive age are the most susceptible to vulvovaginal infection. The infection is dominated by vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and often exacerbated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). The imbalance microbiome composition which is dominated by Candida albicans, followed by adverse effects of antibiotics may increase the severity of infection. Natural bioactive compounds, particularly from Aloe vera, are potentially to develop as dual antifungal and antibacterial agents with less adverse effect and broad-spectrum activity. The aim of this study is to examine the antifungal and antibacterial activities of A. vera bioactive compounds with in silico. Eleven constituents were predicted for antiinfective, antifungal, and antibacterial activity with PASS Way2Drug. The activities were further evaluated by molecular docking against ß-(1,3)-glucan synthase (A0A1D8PCT0_CANAL), glycosyl hydrolase (A0A367YKV9_9ASCO), lanosterol 14-a demethylase (5FSA), and dihydropteroate synthase (1AJ0) using AutoDock Vina. The most potential constituents were identified for drug-likeness and ADME/T. Bioactive compounds proposed as the most potential if they had high PASS score and performed binding to protein with lower binding energy than control. This study found that 5-p-cis-coumaroylquinic acid, trans-5-O-Caffeoylquinic acid, aloe emodin glucoside, and aloe emodin posed efficient binding against ß-(1,3)-glucan synthase, glycosyl hydrolase, lanosterol 14-a demethylase, and dihydropteroate synthase, respectively. Though constituents potentially exhibit therapeutic effects, constituents showed less violation of Lipinski rule and toxicity. Further optimization of chemical structure and dose should be applied if bioactive compounds would be administered as a drug.


Cite this article:
Nurul Jannatul Wahidah, Revi Gama Hatta Novika, Siti Nurhidayati, Atriany Nilam Sari, Rufidah Maulina, Luluk Fajria Maulida, Gabriella Chandrakirana Krisnamurti, Khim Yatul Nguzum, Lanjar Sumarno. Molecular Investigation of Dual Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities by Aloe Vera in Vulvovaginal Infection: An In Silico Approach. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(7):3212-8. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00457

Cite(Electronic):
Nurul Jannatul Wahidah, Revi Gama Hatta Novika, Siti Nurhidayati, Atriany Nilam Sari, Rufidah Maulina, Luluk Fajria Maulida, Gabriella Chandrakirana Krisnamurti, Khim Yatul Nguzum, Lanjar Sumarno. Molecular Investigation of Dual Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities by Aloe Vera in Vulvovaginal Infection: An In Silico Approach. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(7):3212-8. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00457   Available on: https://www.rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-19-7-44


REFERENCES:
1.    Sustr V, Foessleitner P, Kiss H, Farr A. Vulvovaginal Candidosis: Current Concepts, Challenges and Perspectives. J Fungi [Internet]. 2020 Nov 7; 6(4): 267. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/4/267
2.    Talapko J, Meštrović T, Škrlec I. Growing importance of urogenital candidiasis in individuals with diabetes: A narrative review. World J Diabetes [Internet]. 2022 Oct 15; 13(10): 809–21. Available from: https://www.wjgnet.com/1948-9358/full/v13/i10/809.htm
3.    Abraham S, K. V, Koshy S, Navas N, P. Raju S, S. S, et al. Formulation Design and Evaluation of Ornidazole Microsphere in a Bioadhesive gel for Local Therapy of Vaginal Candidiasis. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2022 Aug 30; 3396–400. Available from: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2022-15-8-10
4.    Gunther LSA, Martins HPR, Gimenes F, Abreu ALP de, Consolaro MEL, Svidzinski TIE. Prevalence of Candida albicans and non-albicans isolates from vaginal secretions: comparative evaluation of colonization, vaginal candidiasis and recurrent vaginal candidiasis in diabetic and non-diabetic women. Sao Paulo Med J [Internet]. 2014; 132(2): 116–20. Available from: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-31802014000200116&lng=en&tlng=en
5.    Willems HME, Ahmed SS, Liu J, Xu Z, Peters BM. Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: A Current Understanding and Burning Questions. J Fungi [Internet]. 2020 Feb 25; 6(1): 27. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/6/1/27
6.    MacAlpine J, Daniel-Ivad M, Liu Z, Yano J, Revie NM, Todd RT, et al. A small molecule produced by Lactobacillus species blocks Candida albicans filamentation by inhibiting a DYRK1-family kinase. Nat Commun [Internet]. 2021 Oct 22; 12(1): 6151. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26390-w
7.    Rybalkin M, Diadiun T, Khokhlenkova N, Azarenko Y, Stepanenko S. Determination of Candida albicans fungus proteins concentration by Elisa method at Intramuscular Introduction in Candidiasis Therapy. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2021 Jun 29; 3249–52. Available from: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2021-14-6-55
8.    Swidsinski A, Mendling W, Loening-Baucke V, Ladhoff A, Swidsinski S, Hale LP, et al. Adherent Biofilms in Bacterial Vaginosis. Obstet Gynecol [Internet]. 2005 Nov;106(5, Part 1): 1013–23. Available from: http://journals.lww.com/00006250-200511000-00019
9.    Sobel JD, Vempati YS. Bacterial Vaginosis and Vulvovaginal Candidiasis Pathophysiologic Interrelationship. Microorganisms [Internet]. 2024 Jan 5; 12(1): 108. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/1/108
10.    McKloud E, Sherry L, Kean R, Delaney C, Williams S, Metcalfe R, et al. Recurrent Vulvovaginal Candidiasis; a dynamic interkingdom biofilm disease of Candida and Lactobacillus [Internet]. 2021. Available from: http://biorxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.1101/2021.02.12.430906
11.    Mondemé M, Carnoy C, Sirard JC, Faveeuw C. Treatment of Bacterial Infections with β-Lactams: Cooperation with Innate Immunity. Richardson AR, editor. Infect Immun [Internet]. 2023 Feb 16; 91(2). Available from: https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/iai.00503-22
12.    Muhammad Ali NF, Irnawati I, Rina E, Wibowo D, Tendri Adjeng AN. Qualitative Phytochemical Screening and Antifungal Activity of Ethanol Extract of Young Papaya Seeds (Carica papaya L.) against Candida albicans. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2022 Sep 28; 3936–40. Available from: https://www.rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2022-15-9-19
13.    Saniasiay J, Salim R, Mohamad I, Harun A. Antifungal Effect of Malaysian Aloe vera Leaf Extract on Selected Fungal Species of Pathogenic Otomycosis Species in In Vitro Culture Medium. Oman Med J [Internet]. 2017 Jan 4; 32(1): 41–6. Available from: http://omjournal.org/articleDetails.aspx?coType=1&aId=1875
14.    Rao. K S, P. L R, Vijayan V, Blaisie Rajula P, K G, Raj. S N. Antimicrobial capacity of Triclosan and Aloe vera against E.coli strain (ATCC 25922) in Toothbrushes: An in vitro study. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2023 Apr 29;1705–8. Available from: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2023-16-4-28
15.    Kumar A, Mahajan A, Begum Z. Phytochemical Screening and In vitro Study of Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Flavonoids of Aloe vera. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2020; 13(2): 593. Available from: http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:rjpt&volume=13&issue=2&article=016
16.    Kumar S, Kalita S, Basumatary IB, Kumar S, Ray S, Mukherjee A. Recent advances in therapeutic and biological activities of Aloe vera. Biocatal Agric Biotechnol [Internet]. 2024 Apr; 57: 103084. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1878818124000677
17.    Tessema FB, Asfaw TB, Tadesse MG, Gonfa YH, Bachheti RK. In Silico Studies as Support for Natural Products Research. Medinformatics [Internet]. 2024 Nov 1; 2(1): 11–21. Available from: https://ojs.bonviewpress.com/index.php/MEDIN/article/view/3842
18.    Eva MA, Mia E, Al Hasan MS, Chowdhury R, Yana NT, Rakib IH, et al. Fruit-derived bioactive compounds of Malus domestica as novel therapeutic inhibitors against Monkeypox and Marburg virus: A computational based drug discovery study. Food Chem Adv [Internet]. 2025 Jun;7:100998. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2772753X25001145
19.    Mishra R, Mishra PS, Mazumder R, Mazumder A, Chaudhary A. Computational Docking Technique for Drug Discovery: A Review. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2021 Oct 31; 5558–62. Available from: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2021-14-10-86
20.    Arsene MMJ, Viktorovna PI, Sergei G V., Hajjar F, Vyacheslavovna YN, Vladimirovna ZA, et al. Phytochemical Analysis, Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities of Aloe vera Aqueous Extract against Selected Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria Involved in Urinary Tract Infections. Fermentation [Internet]. 2022 Nov 11; 8(11): 626. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-5637/8/11/626
21.    Parameswari P, Devika R. In silico Molecular Docking Studies of Quercetin Compound against Anti-inflammatory and Anticancer Proteins. Res J Pharm Technol [Internet]. 2019; 12(11): 5305. Available from: http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:rjpt&volume=12&issue=11&article=031
22.    Adarmanabadi SMHH, Abadi OJK, Amiri A, Tamannaeifar R, Balanian S, Rasekhjam M, et al. Pharmacotherapeutic Potential of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia) in Age-related Neurological Diseases. J Integr Neurosci [Internet]. 2024 Apr 23; 23(4). Available from: https://www.imrpress.com/journal/JIN/23/4/10.31083/j.jin2304086
23.    Rammo RNN. Bactericidal and Anti-biofilm Formation of Aqueous Plant Extracts against Pathogenic Bacteria. Asian J Pharm Res [Internet]. 2017; 7(1): 25. Available from: http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ajpr&volume=7&issue=1&article=005
24.    Fiołka MJ, Mieszawska S, Czaplewska P, Szymańska A, Stępnik K, Sofińska-Chmiel W, et al. Candida albicans cell wall as a target of action for the protein–carbohydrate fraction from coelomic fluid of Dendrobaena veneta. Sci Rep [Internet]. 2020 Oct 1; 10(1): 16352. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-73044-w
25.    Hasim S, Coleman JJ. Targeting the Fungal Cell Wall: Current Therapies and Implications for Development of Alternative Antifungal Agents. Future Med Chem [Internet]. 2019 Apr 17; 11(8): 869–83. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4155/fmc-2018-0465
26.    Hamza Ashfaq M, Yousaf M. Antifungal Activity of Senna alata – A Review. Asian J Pharm Res [Internet]. 2022 Nov 22; 307–11. Available from: https://asianjpr.com/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2022-12-4-9
27.    Pandey A, Jui V. Jagtap SA, Polshettiwar BS, Kuchekar. Formulation and Evaluation of Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of Herbal Gel Containing Aloe vera, Azadirachta indica and Lycopersicon esculentum Seed Extract. Res J Pharm Tech. 2011; 4(4): 552–4. 
28.    Han L. Modulation of the Blood–Brain Barrier for Drug Delivery to Brain. Pharmaceutics [Internet]. 2021 Nov 27; 13(12): 2024. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4923/13/12/2024
29.    Sarangdevot K, Sonigara BS, Mishra A, Gupta KC, Sharma. S. Microemulsion based vaginal gel of antifungal drug: design, development and evaluation. Res J Pharm Tech. 2013; 6(2): 166–73. 
30.    Zhao CR, You ZL, Chen DD, Hang J, Wang ZB, Ji M, et al. Structure of a fungal 1,3-β-glucan synthase. Sci Adv [Internet]. 2023 Sep 15; 9(37). Available from: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adh7820
31.    Cantarel BL, Coutinho PM, Rancurel C, Bernard T, Lombard V, Henrissat B. The Carbohydrate-Active EnZymes database (CAZy): an expert resource for Glycogenomics. Nucleic Acids Res [Internet]. 2009 Jan 1; 37(Database):D233–8. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/nar/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/nar/gkn663
32.    Rafiei V, Vélëz H, Tzelepis G. The Role of Glycoside Hydrolases in Phytopathogenic Fungi and Oomycetes Virulence. Int J Mol Sci [Internet]. 2021 Aug 28; 22(17): 9359. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/17/9359
33.    Sun Y, Liu R, Luo Z, Zhang J, Gao Z, Liu R, et al. Identification of novel and potent triazoles targeting CYP51 for antifungal: Design, synthesis, and biological study. Eur J Med Chem [Internet]. 2024 Dec; 280: 116942. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0223523424008237
34.    Urbanek AK, Łapińska Z, Derkacz D, Krasowska A. The Role of ERG11 Point Mutations in the Resistance of Candida albicans to Fluconazole in the Presence of Lactate. Pathogens [Internet]. 2022 Nov 3; 11(11): 1289. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/11/1289
35.    Hargrove TY, Friggeri L, Wawrzak Z, Qi A, Hoekstra WJ, Schotzinger RJ, et al. Structural analyses of Candida albicans sterol 14α-demethylase complexed with azole drugs address the molecular basis of azole-mediated inhibition of fungal sterol biosynthesis. J Biol Chem [Internet]. 2017 Apr; 292(16): 6728–43. Available from: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0021925820365868
36.    McKinnon LR, Achilles SL, Bradshaw CS, Burgener A, Crucitti T, Fredricks DN, et al. The Evolving Facets of Bacterial Vaginosis: Implications for HIV Transmission. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses [Internet]. 2019 Mar; 35(3): 219–28. Available from: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aid.2018.0304
37.    Jaishree V, Ul Haq F. Antimicrobial evaluation and molecular docking studies of Swertiamarin and Quercetin targeting dihydropteroate synthase enzyme. Adv Tradit Med [Internet]. 2022 Dec 2; 22(4): 845–51. Available from: https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13596-022-00643-5
38.    Agatonovic-Kustrin S, Chan CKY, Gegechkori V, Morton DW. Models for skin and brain penetration of major components from essential oils used in aromatherapy for dementia patients. J Biomol Struct Dyn [Internet]. 2020 May 23; 38(8): 2402–11. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07391102.2019.1633408


Recomonded Articles:

Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology (RJPT) is an international, peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal.... Read more >>>

RNI: CHHENG00387/33/1/2008-TC                     
DOI: 10.52711/0974-360X 

1.3
2021CiteScore
 
56th percentile
Powered by  Scopus


SCImago Journal & Country Rank

Journal Policies & Information


Recent Articles




Tags


Not Available