QSAR model based in the TOPSMODE approach used to predict chromosomal aberrations in bioactive phenolic compounds

The in silico characterization of bioactive substances which are constituents of functional foods or nutraceuticals is the methodology described in this communication. The aim of this work was to show the potential of the TOPSMODE approach as chemical-informatics method to study the structure/clastogenic activity (chromosomal aberrations) and identify structural alerts related to genotoxicity. The results of QSAR studies were analyzed for several classes of phenolic compounds (flavonoids, phenolic acids and coumarins) for which was required the use of software STATISTIC and MODESLAB and a mathematical model encoding topological information of a substructural level. It was observed that the criteria for maximum clastogenicity are the methoxy and hydroxyl polisubstitutions (methoxy > hydroxyl) and the polarity of the substituents. This was observed for all the analyzed subclasses. The confirmation of these results is based on the percentage of good classification for the used external databases, the recognition of physical chemical descriptors of polarity (μ₁^Pol y μ₂^Pol) and in the calculation of the fragments contribution. It can be conclude that QSAR methods, and in particular the used topographical approach, may constitute a predictive tool for the design and evaluation of bioactive components of functional foods or nutraceuticals.