Anticancer, Antimicrobial and Phytochemical Properties of Catharanthus roseus (L.)

Abstract

The tropical plant Madagaskar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) (L.) is an important medicinal plant of family Apocynaceae. The present investigation focused on evaluation of the antimicrobial, anticancer and phytochemical properties of the floral and leaf extract of Catharanthus roseus (L.). The plant extracts showed the presence of phytochemicals like flavonoids, phenols, tannins and saponins. Evaluation of the antimicrobial effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus revealed its potent antimicrobial properties. The In vitro antitumor activity of different extracts of Catharanthus roseus was evaluated by the MTT assay using THP-1 leukemic cell lines and Hela cell lines. The floral and leaf extracts demonstrated potential In vitro cytotoxic activity against Hela and THP-1 cell lines. Thus, it can be concluded that the plant Catharanthus roseus has immense potential for applications in pharmaceutical industry and medicine due to its phytoconstituents, antibacterial and anticancer properties. Catharanthusroseues. Qualitative analysis of phytochemical screening of both the aqueous and methanolic extract reveals the presence of alkaloids, phenol, saponins, phytosteriods, flavoniods, tannin, quinine, fats and oil. Further the presence of phytochemicals was detected by TLC and paper chromatography which is the standard techniques of separating organic compounds. Antimicrobial activity was done for both methanolic and aqueous plant extracts. The study reveals that the flower extract shows highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. More than 3000 plants species that have reportedly been used in the treatment of cancer and other disease. Plant derived compound have played an important role in the development of several useful anticancer agent. It is significant that 60% of currently used anticancerousagents are derived from natural source. Catharanthusroseues is cultivated mainly for its alkaloids, which are having anticancer activity.