Investigating chemical composition and antibacterial activity of Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don

Abstract

This study provides a preliminary evaluation of the antibacterial activity of different leaf extracts from Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don and identifies the most bioactive extract for subsequent phytochemical investigation. Among the tested extracts, the dichloromethane extract exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Vibrio sp. and Aeromonas caviae, two major pathogenic bacteria in aquaculture. Notably, the dichloromethane extract showed strong inhibition against Vibrio sp., with an inhibition zone diameter of 17.97±0.47 mm at a concentration of 128 µg/mL. Phytochemical analysis of the dichloromethane extract using nuclear magnetic resonance (1D, 2D-NMR) spectroscopy, in combination with comparison to published data, led to three compounds identified: apigenin (1), vindoline (2), and oleanolic acid (3). The results highlight the potential of C. roseus leaves as a promising natural source of potent antibacterial agents.