Phytochemical, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antigenotoxic and antimutagenic efficacy of Catharanthus roseus leaves by different extracts

Plant secondary metabolites are high in bioactive chemicals and are employed in the pharmaceutical industry for the manufacture of nutrient-rich food. These bioactive chemicals are administered in both traditional and contemporary ways to cure various ailments and enhance people's health. Present study was undertaken the phytochemical composition and biological potential (antimicrobial, antioxidant, antigenotoxic and antimutagenic) of various extracts obtained by Soxhlet extraction technique from leaves of C. roseus were investigated. Different extracts were accessed for their yield percentage, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant potential (DPPH - 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), antimicrobial activity, antigenotoxic and antimutagenic potential. Further, acetone extract was also subjected to gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis in order to assess the composition of various phytoconstituents. The identified major compounds included 9, 12-octadecasienoic acid (19.5%) and n-hexadecanoic acid (16.5%). Acetone extract showed the best activity towards biological potential (antimicrobial, antioxidant, antigenotoxic and antimutagenic). According to the pharmacological properties of these bioactive components, the plant can be utilized as a crude drug or to build a novel medication and these bioactive chemicals are suggested based on known pharmacological literature.