Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41654575›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2026

Conformational dynamics and binding free energy analyses unveil a stable flavonoid inhibitor of dengue virus NS5 polymerase.

Isra M Alsaady, Hattan S Gattan, Salma M Aljahdali, Mohammed H Alruhaili, Vivek Dhar Dwivedi, Esam I Azhar

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Isra M AlsaadySpecial Infectious Agents Unit-BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Hattan S GattanSpecial Infectious Agents Unit-BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Salma M AljahdaliSpecial Infectious Agents Unit-BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed H AlruhailiSpecial Infectious Agents Unit-BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Vivek Dhar DwivediCenter for Global Health Research, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai, India. vivek_bioinformatics@yahoo.com.
Esam I AzharSpecial Infectious Agents Unit-BSL3, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. eazhar@kau.edu.sa.

Funding

Community Jameel - Saudi Arabia under Jameel Fund for Infectious Disease Research and Innovation JML: 002-141-2024
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The persistent global spread of dengue virus (DENV) necessitates the identification of novel antiviral therapeutics. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domain of the non-structural protein 5 (NS5) is a validated target for therapy due to its critical roles in viral genome replication. In this study, we used a structure-guided virtual screening approach to identify potent phytochemical inhibitors of DENV RdRp from the Plant Secondary Compound Database (PSC-db) by focusing on 326 flavonoids. Following drug-likeness filtering and hierarchical docking with MM-GBSA analysis, five top candidates were identified, with PSCdb01560 emerging as the most promising. Subsequent molecular dynamics simulations over 500 ns revealed PSCdb01560's exceptional binding stability, characterised by low protein-ligand RMSD and sustained binding stability. Free energy landscape analysis demonstrated its occupation of deep, well-defined conformational basins. At the same time, post-MD MM-GBSA yielded a binding free energy of -91.65 kcal/mol-outperforming the reference compound. Structural superimposition confirmed strong conformational fidelity between docked and minimum-energy poses (RMSD 1.68 Å). Together, our approach points toward PSCdb01560 as the putative inhibitor molecule that outperforms existing flavonoid leads in thermodynamic and kinetic descriptors. The results thus provide the avenue for experimental validation, such as enzymatic and antiviral screens, in hopes of turning these in silico observations into viable therapeutic development for dengue.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsDengue VirusEnzyme InhibitorsFlavonoidsRNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseViral Nonstructural ProteinsMolecular Docking SimulationMolecular Dynamics SimulationProtein BindingProtein ConformationThermodynamicsAntiviral AgentsEnzyme InhibitorsFlavonoidsNS5 protein, dengue virusRNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseViral Nonstructural ProteinsDengue virusDrug discoveryNatural compoundsPSC-dbRdRp

Identifiers

PMID41654575
PMCPMC12949254

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.