Preliminary evaluation of antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale

Abstract

The growing search for safer and more effective therapies has driven the investigation of medicinal plants, such as Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale, widely recognized for their therapeutic properties in popular knowledge. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the phytochemical profile, bioactive properties and pharmacological potential of these species, focusing on their in silico antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity. The bulbs of A. sativum and rhizomes of Z. officinale were subjected to hydroethanolic extraction by maceration, with analysis of the extracts for density, yield and presence of secondary metabolites. In addition, in silico tests investigated the interaction of 19 phytoconstituents of these plants with the KPC-2 enzyme, while in vitro assays evaluated cytotoxicity using sheep red blood cells. The results showed the presence of flavonoids, saponins and coumarins as the main secondary metabolites. The phytoconstituent curcumin, from Z. officinale, was highlighted, as it showed high binding affinity with the KPC-2 enzyme (-9.1 kcal/mol). Promising compounds were also identified in A. sativum, such as allicin (-5.7 kcal/mol). Both extracts demonstrated low cytotoxicity at the concentrations analyzed. Thus, it was concluded that A. sativum and Z. officinale are promising sources of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial potential and low toxicity. Future studies should focus on optimizing these compounds to develop safer and more effective therapies.