In silico and in vitro analysis of diethyl phthalate as a quorum sensing inhibitor and its antitumor evaluation against MDA-MB-231 cell lines.

Diethyl phthalate (DEP), a phthalate acid ester present in naturally occurring substances of living forms including flora, fauna, and microbes, particularly those of the Streptomyces genus, functions as an allelochemical, antibiotic, or pesticide to aid donor species in their adaption. In this in silico experiment, DEP was utilized as a quorum sensing inhibitor (QSI) against the quorum sensing (QS) protein of Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa such as CviR and LasR. We identified that quorum sensing system of both the organisms tested may be blocked due to the utilization of DEP, which contributes to our knowledge of the molecular process underlying QS-regulated behaviors. In vitro testing of the DEP anticancer efficacy over MDA-MB-231 cells, which revealed considerable cytotoxicity with an IC₅₀ value found at 65 µg/mL. DEP reduced the development of MDA-MB-231 cells and caused cell death in a based on concentration. As a result, DEP could be a potential therapeutic alternative for microbial pathogens that create biofilms.