Bioactive potential of Latania verschaffeltii Lem. leaves (Arecaceae): phytochemical, antimicrobial, antiviral, and computational evaluation.

Latania verschaffeltii Lem. (Arecaceae) remains chemically understudied, and investigating its secondary-metabolite profile may provide insights into biochemical diversity while identifying compounds with antimicrobial and antiviral potential. This study evaluated the antibacterial, antifungal, and anti–hepatitis A virus (HAV) activities of the methanolic extract and n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous fractions, along with catechin and (6 S,9 S)-roseoside isolated from L. verschaffeltii leaves. Ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions showed strong antibacterial activity (inhibition zones 17–44 mm), comparable to gentamicin (19–30 mm), while the methanolic extract was moderate (25–36 mm). Catechin and roseoside exhibited notable antibacterial potency (MICs 2.58–12.05 µM and 3.23–9.05 µM, respectively) and inhibited C. albicans (MICs 1.72 and 2.59 µM), matching or surpassing fluconazole (2.45 µM). Antifungal testing revealed strong activity of the methanolic extract and aqueous fraction against C. albicans (25 and 29 mm), however, no activity was recorded against A. niger. Antiviral testing against hepatitis A virus showed the n-hexane fraction and methanolic extract had the highest inhibition, with 75.49% and 66.95% at 62.5 and 125 µg/mL, respectively. Non-toxic concentrations ranged between 62.5 and 125 µg/mL. The molecular docking targeting DNA gyrase and HAV 3 C protease supported the inhibitory potential of catechin and roseoside. Overall, L. verschaffeltii represents a promising source of bioactive secondary metabolites with antimicrobial and antiviral potential, providing chemotaxonomic insight into this underexplored species.