Interaction of coumarin derivatives with human serum albumin: Investigation by fluorescence spectroscopic technique and modeling studies

Interactions of several 7-aminocoumarins with human serum albumin (HSA) were studied by using fluorescence spectroscopic technique and modeling studies. There is a large change in fluorescence spectral parameters like intensity, emission maxima and anisotropy for all aminocoumarins. There were two binding sites for cou-1, 311 and a single binding site for other coumarins. The binding constant(s) are large for all coumarins reflective of a strong binding. These spectral studies show that structural variants at the third, fourth and seventh position affects binding. The probable location of these coumarins in domain II has been predicted based on modeling. The effect of structural modification on the efficiency of binding was obtained for various other coumarins, using modeling. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.