Phytochemical Profiling, Antibacterial, Antioxidant and GC-MS Analysis of Evolvulus alsinoides Extracts: Insights into Therapeutic Potential

Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L., a revered medicinal herb in Ayurveda, was investigated for its phytochemical composition, antibacterial and antioxidant properties using water, ethanol, ethyl acetate, petroleum ether and chloroform extracts. The results of qualitative phytochemical screening included terpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols and tannins with ethanol extracts exhibiting the highest diversity (10/11 classes). Quantitative analysis of the ethanol extract showed significant phenolic (180 ± 0.87 μg/mg), flavonoid (46 ± 0.92 μg/mg) and tannin (26 ± 0.56 μg/mg) content. Antibacterial assays via agar well diffusion demonstrated ethanol extracts’ efficacy against Escherichia coli (13.5 ± 0.5 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (14.5 ± 0.7 mm) at 150 μg/mL. Antioxidant activity, assessed by DPPH and ABTS assays, yielded IC₅₀ values of 0.234 mg/mL and 0.077 mg/mL indicating robust radical scavenging. A study using GC-MS revealed 36 chemicals, including n-hexadecanoic acid, caryophyllene and benzoic acid derivatives, corroborating bioactivity. These findings validate the plant’s traditional uses for neuroprotection and inflammation management, highlighting ethanol’s extraction efficiency and suggesting pharmaceutical potential.