Carcaraqsar: a full-stack computational web application for quantitative structure–activity relationship analysis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14571/brajets.v19.n1.185-203

Keywords:

computational chemistry, QSAR modeling, machine learning, bio-inspired algorithms, chemistry education

Abstract

CarcaraQSAR is an open-source, full-stack web application designed to simplify the development of Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) models. By integrating machine learning algorithms and bioinspired feature selection techniques, the tool enables researchers to efficiently identify chemical descriptors correlated with biological activity. Its user-friendly interface eliminates the need for extensive programming knowledge, making QSAR modeling more accessible. CarcaraQSAR supports various validation strategies, including cross-validation and Y-randomization, ensuring robust and reproducible models. Designed for scalability, it allows cloud deployment, overcoming limitations of traditional QSAR tools. This application significantly enhances predictive modeling capabilities, thereby contributing to cost-effective drug discovery and molecular research. The synthesis of important tools in a single flow also makes CarcaraQSAR a teaching tool for University courses in Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, providing students with a practical and integrated understanding of the concepts involved in QSAR.

Author Biographies

  • Daniel Carvalho, Univasf

    Student at Computation Engeneer College at Univasf

  • Rosalvo Oliveira Neto, Univasf

    Professor at Computation Engeneer colleg at Univasf

  • Edilson Alencar Filho, Univasf

    Professor at Pharmacy College at Univasf

References

Aguirre, G., Boiani, L., Boiani, M., Cerecetto, H., Di Maio, R., González, M., Porcal, W., Denicola, A., Piro, O. E., Castellano, E. E., Sant’Anna, C. M. R., & Barreiro, E. J. (2005). New potent 5-substituted benzofuroxans as inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi growth: Quantitative structure–activity relationship studies. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 13, 6336–6346.

Ambure, P., Aher, R. B., Gajewicz, A., Puzyn, T., & Roy, K. (2015). NanoBRIDGES software: Open access tools to perform QSAR and nano-QSAR modeling. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 147, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemolab.2015.07.007

Ambure, P., Halder, A. K., González-Díaz, H., & Cordeiro, M. N. D. S. (2019). QSAR-Co: An open source software for developing robust multitasking or multi-target classification-based QSAR models. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 59(6), 2538–2544.

Avila, C. M., Romeiro, N. C., Silva, G. M. S., Sant’Anna, C. M. R., Barreiro, E. J., & Fraga, C. A. M. (2006). Development of new CoMFA and CoMSIA 3D-QSAR models for anti-inflammatory phthalimide-containing TNF-alpha modulators. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 14, 6874–6885.

Bahia, M. S., Kaspi, O., Touitou, M., Binayev, I., Dhail, S., Spiegel, J., & Khazanov, N. (2023). A comparison between 2D and 3D descriptors in QSAR modeling based on bioactive conformations. Molecular Informatics, 42(4), e2200196.

Berthold, M. R., Cebron, N., Dill, F., et al. (2009). KNIME – The Konstanz Information Miner: Version 2.0 and beyond. SIGKDD Explorations Newsletter, 11(1), 26–31.

Cherkasov, A., Muratov, E. N., Fourches, D., et al. (2014). QSAR modeling: Where have you been? Where are you going to? Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 57(12), 4977–5010.

Dassault Systèmes BIOVIA. (2023). Discovery Studio Modeling Environment (Release 2023). San Diego, CA: Dassault Systèmes.

Dos Santos, I. M., Agra, J. P. G., de Carvalho, T. G. C., et al. (2018). Classical and 3D QSAR studies of larvicidal monoterpenes against Aedes aegypti: New molecular insights for the rational design of more active compounds. Structural Chemistry, 29, 1287–1297.

Gramatica, P., Cassani, S., & Roy, P. P. (2014). QSARINS: A new software for the development, analysis, and validation of QSAR MLR models. Journal of Computational Chemistry, 35(13), 1036–1044.

Halder, A. K., & Cordeiro, M. N. D. S. (2021). QSAR-Co-X: An open source toolkit for multitarget QSAR modelling. Journal of Cheminformatics, 13, Article 58.

Mauri, A., & Bertola, M. (2022). Alvascience: A new software suite for the QSAR workflow applied to the blood–brain barrier permeability. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(21), 12882. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232112882

Mobley, D. L., & Guthrie, J. P. (2014). FreeSolv: A database of experimental and calculated hydration free energies, with input files. Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, 28, 711–720.

OECD. (2004). Principles for the validation, for regulatory purposes, of (quantitative) structure–activity relationship models. Paris, France: OECD Publishing.

Oliveira Neto, R. F. (2023). ML-SPARD: A dataset for machine learning performance analysis in small-sample regression problems. Harvard Dataverse.

Ramsundar, B., Liu, B., Wu, Z., Verras, A., Tudor, M., Sheridan, R. P., & Pande, V. (2017). Is multitask deep learning practical for pharma? Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 57(8), 2068–2076.

Schrödinger LLC. (2023). Schrödinger Release 2023-2: QikProp. New York, NY: Schrödinger LLC.

Supuran, C. T. (2019). Editorial: Teaching medicinal chemistry through computational tools. Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry, 34(1), 1–2.

Sushko, I., Novotarskyi, S., Körner, R., et al. (2011). Online chemical modeling environment (OCHEM): Web platform for data storage, model development and publishing of chemical information. Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, 25(6), 533–554.

Todeschini, R., Mauri, A., & Consonni, V. (2017). DRAGON software (version 7.0) for the calculation of molecular descriptors. Milano, Italy: Kode Chemometrics srl.

Yap, C. W. (2011). PaDEL-descriptor: An open source software to calculate molecular descriptors and fingerprints. Journal of Computational Chemistry, 32(7), 1466–1474.

Downloads

Published

28-03-2026

Issue

Section

Article

How to Cite

Carvalho, D., Oliveira Neto, R., & Alencar Filho, E. (2026). Carcaraqsar: a full-stack computational web application for quantitative structure–activity relationship analysis. Cadernos De Educação Tecnologia E Sociedade, 19(1), 185-203. https://doi.org/10.14571/brajets.v19.n1.185-203