Marine-Derived Sterols from Saccharina japonica: Potential Antibacterial Activity and Target Prediction Against Bacterial Pathogens Through Integrated In Vitro and In Silico Approaches.

Marine natural products, including seaweeds, sponges, and marine microorganisms, have emerged as promising sources of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological properties. We investigated the antibacterial and antioxidant potential of ethanol extracts (30%, 60%, and 90%) from Saccharina japonica collected from two Korean coastal regions, Gijang and Wando, and evaluated their bioactive metabolites through integrated in vitro and in silico approaches. Among the extracts, the 60% ethanol fraction exhibited the highest total phenolic content and strongest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, indicating superior antioxidant capacity. Antibacterial assays revealed selective concentration-dependent inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, while limited effects were observed against Escherichia coli. Kinetic analysis further demonstrated growth suppression of S. aureus at higher concentrations. Molecular docking was performed against multiple bacterial proteins, including DNA gyrase, topoisomerase IV, and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. Sterol compounds, particularly fucosterol and 24-methylene cholesterol, showed strong binding affinities across key targets, suggesting their potential role as multitarget antibacterial agents. ADMET predictions indicated favorable pharmacokinetic properties, although high lipophilicity and potential hERG II inhibition were noted. Overall, while the antibacterial effects observed were moderate, these findings suggest that marine-derived sterols from S. japonica may represent compounds of interest for further mechanistic investigation and optimization in complementary antibacterial strategies.