Bioprospecting Artemisia roxburghiana Wall. ex Besser extracts for their potential antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, antidiabetic and anticancer potential.

This manuscript revisits conventional uses of Artemisia roxburghiana Wall. ex Besser for treating hyperglycaemia, protozoal infections and cancer on scientific grounds. Secondary metabolites estimation revealed the presence of terpenoids, glycosides, tannins and saponins. Significant artemisinins were quantified in leaf n-hexane extract. Highest metal chelation, ABTS and OH scavenging were observed in leaf ethyl acetate extract (IC50=30.21 ± 1.28, 54.21 ± 1.99 and 36.97 ± 2.67 µg/mL, respectively). Stem ethyl acetate extract delayed bleaching of β-carotene (IC50=44.44 ± 1.03 µg/mL) and sequestered NO (IC50=34.37 ± 1.15 µg/mL). Maximum antimicrobial (11 ± 0.09 mm zone of inhibition against A. niger), antimalarial (IC50=18.76 ± 1.80 µg/mL), protein kinase inhibition (24 ± 1.09 mm) and potency (LD50=29.02 ± 2.08 μg/mL) were recorded for leaf n-hexane extract. Leaf methanol and distilled water extracts inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase (82.35 ± 3.25 and 75.25 ± 2.5%, respectively). Highest tumour inhibition (84 ± 2.50%) and antiproliferative potential against DU-145 cell line (IC50 17.41 ± 2.31 µg/mL) were manifested by leaf ethyl acetate extract. The results reported herein provide in vitro evidence of the traditional use of Artemisia roxburghiana.