Microbiology and Biotechnology Research: An Overview Vol. 6

Catharanthus roseus (L), a popular ornamental plant found in gardens, homes across the world which is recognised in Ayurveda. Catharanthus roseus (L.), known as Madagascar periwinkle (MP), is a legendary medicinal plant mostly because of possessing two invaluable antitumor terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs), vincristine and vinblastine. Catharanthus rosues rich history dating back to the 18^th century. Native to Madagascar, this plant was first described by Linnaeus as Vinca rosea in 1759. Later, in 1837, it was reclassified as Catharanthus roseus. The plant also has high aesthetic value as an evergreen ornamental that yields prolific blooms of splendid colours. The assessment of this plant extract to be used as a prophylactic agent against certain human pathogens has been thoroughly investigated by previous researchers. Further research on Catharanthus roseus is highly recommended to explore its full potential as a phytomedicine, specifically to be developed as an antimicrobial drug. The aqueous extracts from the leaves and stems of this plant have been observed to be most effective against food spoilage bacterial strains, followed by methanol and hexane. However, leaf extract was observed to be most significant in terms of the content and potency of metabolites. The antimicrobial activity has been checked against microorganisms like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Rhizopus arrhizus, Aspergillus sydowi, and Aspergillus fumigatus. Catharanthus roseus is used for the treatment of asthma, blood pressure, menstrual cycle, malaria, etc.