DECIPHERING MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS BETWEEN EPIGALLOCATECHIN-3-GALLATE (EGCG) AND PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM

1Gigih Pratama, 2Rian Ka Praja
1Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, University of Palangka Raya, 2Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Palangka Raya

Keywords: Bioinformatics, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), Plasmodium falciparum.

Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate and predict proteins of Plasmodium falciparum targeted by the phytocompound epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).
Methodology: Prediction analysis of Plasmodium falciparum protein interactions targeted by epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was conducted bioinformatically using the Search Tool for Interacting Chemicals (STITCH) which is a database of interactions between chemicals and proteins.
Findings: EGCG was found to interact with several protein of Plasmodium falciparum such as Modification methylase-like protein, Enoyl-acyl carrier reductase, DNA mismatch repair enzyme, Ubiquitin conjugating enzyme E2, Ferredoxin NADP reductase, Prolyl-tRNA synthetase, Glutamate–tRNA ligase, Glutathione S-transferase, Phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator, and Flavodoxin-like protein
Limitation: This study was bioinformatics research that discusses that prediction of interactions between compounds and P. falciparum. Therefore, further research is needed to reveal the mechanism of P. falciparum protein inhibition by EGCG.
Contribution: The results of this study support EGCG as a promising candidate for the development of tea catechin-based antimalarial drugs.