Introduction: Plants are one of the fundamental core elements of contemporary medicine. Vinca rosea Linn. is a rich source of alkaloids and is distributed in all parts of the plant which gives the scientific platform to this drug. Besides alkaloids it is also rich in phenolic compounds, organic acids, and amino acids of pharmacological significance in its different parts, however, there have been limited studies on the phytochemical and biological activities of its root. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the identity of Vinca roots and elucidate their phytochemical profile and assess their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Methods: Gravimetric analysis was done to evaluate total alkaloid content in the root and ORAC assay and Agar well diffusion assay were performed for analysing its antioxidant potential and anti-bacterial activity respectively. Results: The phytochemical analyses showed the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, saponins, phenols, alkaloids and terpenoids in the extract. The hydroalcoholic extract showed a zone of inhibition of approx.10 mm against S. typhi and approx.2 mm zone of inhibition against E. coli thus, discloses the antibacterial potential of Vinca roots. The hydroalcoholic root extract of Vinca rosea Linn. was found to be rich in antioxidant activity with an Orac value of 1046.85 µmol of TE/g suggesting a potential source of natural antioxidants. Conclusion: Therefore, research on novel phytochemicals should be done to identify and isolate them from the roots of Vinca rosea and investigate their diverse applications for bioactive substances.
