Abstract

OBJECTIVE(S): Azole antifungal agents, which are widely used as antifungal antibiotics, inhibit cytochrome P450 sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51). Nearly all azole antifungal agents are N-substituted azoles. In addition, an azolylphenalkyl pharmacophore is uniquely shared by all azole antifungals. Due to importance of nitrogen atom of azoles (N-3 of imidazole and N-4 of triazole) in coordination with heme in the binding site of the enzyme, here a group of N- un-substituted azoles in which both of nitrogen is un-substituted was reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Designed compounds were synthesized by reaction of imidazole-4-carboxaldehyde with appropriate arylamines and subsequently reduced to desired amine derivatives. Antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cervisiae were done using a broth micro-dilution assay. Docking studies were done using AutoDock. RESULTS: Antimicrobial evaluation revealed that some of these compounds exhibited moderate antimicrobial activities against tested pathogenic fungi, wherein compound 3, 7 and 8 were potent. Docking studies propose that all of the prepared azoles interacted with 14α-DM, wherein azole-heme coordination play main role in drug-receptor interaction. CONCLUSION: Our results offer some useful references in order to molecular design performance or modification of this series of compounds as a lead compound to discover new and potent antimicrobial agents.