Discovery of Potential Antihypertensive Agents from the Marine Microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum Through Metabolite Profiling and In Silico Analysis

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Abstract
Hypertension remains a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) represents a central therapeutic target within the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. Marine microalgae, particularly Phaeodactylum tricornutum, provide an underexplored reservoir of structurally diverse metabolites with potential cardiovascular relevance. In this in silico study, we characterized metabolites putatively annotated by UPLC-ESI-HRMS and evaluated their predicted ACE inhibitory potential. We performed molecular docking with AutoDock 4 and assessed pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties using the SwissADME, PASS, and ProTox platforms. Several metabolites showed favorable binding orientations within the ACE catalytic pocket, including interactions with key residues and proximity to the zinc-binding motif. Lehualide G, Val–Asn–Pro, tanariflavanone B, hydroxyterbinafine, and anhydro-vitamin A exhibited the most favorable docking profiles. PASS predictions indicated vascular-related bioactivity signals for selected compounds, whereas ADMET modeling revealed heterogeneous but classifiable pharmacokinetic and safety characteristics. The convergence of predicted binding compatibility, bioactivity signals, and stratified safety margins supports P. tricornutum as a promising source of candidate molecules for further experimental validation in antihypertensive research.

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