Evaluation of the hepato-renal functions and antimicrobial activity of fatty amido benzoic acid synthesised from Citrullus colocynthis seed oil

Abstract

Rapid progression in resistance to antimicrobial agents by pathogenic organisms is a serious concern. This study aimed to synthesize fatty amido benzoic acid (FBA) from Citrullus colocynthis seed oil (CCO) and evaluate its safety profile as an alternative bioactive agent for combating drug-resistant pathogens. FBA was synthesised through simple chemical reaction route and examined for its antioxidant activity and antimicrobial capacity against selected drug-resistant microorganisms. Effect of FBA on hepato-renal function makers and oxidative stress was also examined using Wistar rats. Density functional theory (DFT) approach was employed to understand the action of FBA with the aid of lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO). Gas Chromatography (GC) revealed the most abundant fatty acid in CCO to be C18:2 (55.88%). Results from Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR) confirmed the synthesis of FBA with a yield of 97.10%. FBA exhibited antioxidant potential (IC50 of 1.96 µg mL−1) as well as antimicrobial potency. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of FBA was 0.026 mg mL−1. Biochemical parameters such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, hydrogen peroxide, and lipid peroxidation were significantly elevated in rats administered high dose FBA (100 mg kg−1). Histology of the liver and kidney confirmed the biochemical results. Furthermore, mechanism of action of FBA could be described by quantum chemical analysis to be via nucleophilic interaction, which may be viewed electronically as donor–acceptor interaction. The study presents FBA as a promising antimicrobial agent for combating drug-resistant pathogenic organisms.