In Silico Study on N-Ferrocenylmethyl-N-Phenylpropionohydrazide and N-Ferrocenylmethyl-N-Pheylbenzohydrazide as Anticancer Drugs for Breast and Prostate Cancer

Molecular docking calculations were used to evaluate the antitumor activities of N-ferrocenylmethyl-N-phenylpropanamide (FP) and N-ferrocenylmethyl-N-pheylbenzohydrazide (FH) against the enzymes of breast cancer 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (17β-HSD1) and human steroidogenic cytochrome P450 17A1 prostate cancer mutant A105L (CYP17A1). The molecular docking study was performed using the open source AutoDock 4.2 software. The obtained results showed that both FP and FH bind with 17β-HSD1 and CYP17A1 via hydrogen bonds, binding free energy values for the adducts FH-17β-HSD1 and FH-CYP17A1 were respectively equal to-27.67 and-27.55 KJmol-1, while for the adducts FP-17β-HSD1 and FP-CYP17A1 they were respectively equal to-29.13 and 29.18 KJmol-1. The negative values and the magnitude of the obtained binding free energy indicated respectively the spontaneity and the electrostatic interaction of both ligands FP and FH with 17β-HSD1 and CYP17A1 receptors as the dominant mode. Finally the ligand FP binds more strongly to the receptor CYP17A1 and forms two respective hydrogen bonds with Arg96 and His373; this finding clearly indicate that FP is best qualified as potential drug candidature for breast and prostate cancer.