Study of the Interactions of Bovine Serum Albumin with the New Anti-Inflammatory Agent 4-(1,3-Dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-isoindol-2-yl)-N′-[(4-ethoxy-phenyl)methylidene]benzohydrazide Using a Multi-Spectroscopic Approach and Molecular Docking

The lipophilic derivative of thalidomide (4-(1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-2H-isoindol-2-yl)-N′-[(4-ethoxyphenyl)methylidene]benzohydrazide, 6P) was synthesized to enhance its characteristics and efficacy. Earlier studies have proved the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of 6P. In this study the interaction between bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 6P was studied using a multi-spectroscopic approach which included UV spectrophotometry, spectrofluorimetry and three dimensional spectrofluorometric and molecular docking studies. Static quenching was involved in quenching the fluorescence of BSA by 6P, because a complex formation occurred between the 6P and BSA. The binding constant decreased with higher temperature and was in the range of 2.5 × 10(5)–4.8 × 10(3) L mol(−1) suggesting an unstable complex at higher temperatures. A single binding site was observed and the the site probe experiments showed site II (sub-domain IIIA) of BSA as the binding site for 6P. The negative values of ∆G(0), ∆H(0) and ∆S(0) at (298/303/308 K) indicated spontaneous binding between 6P and BSA as well as the interaction was enthalpy driven and van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding were involved in the interaction. The docking results and the results from the experimental studies are complimentary to each other and confirm that 6P binds at site II (sub-domain IIIA) of BSA.