Phytochemical Screening and Biological Studies of Leaf Extract of Ipomoea Batatas (L.) Lam

Medicinal plants have been utilized in indigenous healthcare systems for the therapeutic management of various diseases. A significant proportion of modern therapeutic agents originate from plant sources, and Nepal is reported to possess more than 900 species of medicinal plants with potential medicinal value. Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., widely known as a sweet potato, is a herbaceous vine widely recognized in Nepalese traditional medicine. The plant has been associated with several bioactivities, like antifertility, anti-inflammatory, antimutagenic, antibacterial, and antidiabetic effects. This study examined the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant potential, and the antimicrobial activity of crude hydroethanolic leaf extract of I. batatas (L.) Lam. Preliminary screening of phytoconstituents revealed the detection of glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified four compounds: phytol, caffeic acid, peonidin, and 2-phenyl dodecane. The total phenolic content was determined to be 123.938 mg GAE/g, whereas total flavonoid content was determined to be 152 mg QE/g. The reducing power assay demonstrated a concentration-dependent increase in absorbance values (0.164-0.471) at extract concentrations of 10-50 μg/mL, indicating enhanced antioxidant activity. The IC₅₀ value obtained from the DPPH radical scavenging assay was 15 μg/mL. However, the extract did not exhibit antimicrobial activity against E. coli or S. aureus. These findings suggest that the extract of I. batatas is rich in bioactive compounds and may represent a promising source of natural antioxidant agents.