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International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences Research Article
Molecular docking analysis of protocatechuic acid targeting MMPs, stress-related and apoptotic proteins associated with heart failure
Bhavadharseny Uma Shanmugasundaram and Subashini Ragunathan
Year : 2026 | Volume: 11 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 322-328
Received on: 26/04/2026
Revised on: 16/05/2026
Accepted on: 22/05/2026
Published on: 10/06/2026
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Bhavadharseny Uma Shanmugasundaram and Subashini Ragunathan ( 2026).
Molecular docking analysis of protocatechuic acid targeting MMPs, stress-related and apoptotic proteins associated with heart failure
. International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 11( 3), 322-328.
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Abstract
Heart failure (HF) remains a significant global health challenge, characterised by adverse ventricular remodelling, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and elevated biomarkers such as B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Protocatechuic acid, a naturally occurring polyphenol, exhibits antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties; however, its mechanistic effects in HF are not fully elucidated. Molecular docking analyses revealed strong binding affinities of protocatechuic acid with key apoptotic and stress-related proteins, including Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Cytochrome c, and BNP, suggesting modulation of mitochondrial apoptosis and ventricular stress pathways. Protocatechuic acid also showed significant binding interactions with MMP-2 and MMP-9, indicating attenuation of extracellular matrix degradation and fibrotic remodelling. These findings demonstrate that protocatechuic acid exerts multi-target cardioprotective effects by modulating apoptotic signalling, reducing matrix metalloproteinase activity, and mitigating myocardial fibrosis, highlighting its therapeutic potential in HF management.
Keywords
Heart failure, Protocatechuic acid, Molecular docking, Apoptosis, MMP-2, MMP-9.
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© The Author(s) 2025. This article is published by International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
