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

This manuscript revisits conventional uses of <i>Artemisia roxburghiana</i> 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 <i>A. niger</i>), 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 <i>in vitro</i> evidence of the traditional use of <i>Artemisia roxburghiana</i>.