CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS: TRADITIONAL USES, PHYTOCHEMISTRY, AND MODERN PHARMACOLOGY

ARTICL HISTORY- Date of Submission: Mar 09, 2025, Revision: April 05, 2025, Acceptance: April 24, 2025; DOI:https://doi.org/10.56815/ijmsci.v5i1.2025.41-70

Abstract

 In Madagascar periwinkle or Catharanthus roseus is one of the well-liked medicinal plants found to be prestigiously valued owing to its high phytochemical content and broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. It has been utilized in traditional medicine to treat diseases such as diabetes,hypertension, and infections for centuries. The plant is a cache of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids, with vincristine and vinblastine being its most valuable secondary metabolites. These alkaloids have also been well known to contain extremely strong anticancer activities and are most widely applied in chemotherapy of leukaemia and other cancers.Phytochemical research has confirmed that C. roseus possesses antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic activities, which are accountable For its medicinal applications. Recent pharmacological investigations have also continued to support its potential use in drug development, particularly in the treatment of cancer and diabetes. Its bioactive components have been examined for its molecular targets, which include inducing apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, and glycaemic control. Although it is of great medicinal importance, its large-scale pharmacological utilization is limited by issues such as poor yield of alkaloids and issues of sustainability. New developments in plant biotechnology, genetic engineering, and tissue culture methods have been investigated to increase its metabolite yield. This review emphasizes the traditional importance, phytochemical diversity, and recent pharmacological developments concerning Catharanthus roseus, pointing towards its value in herbal medicine and drug development.