Data on GC-MS analysis, in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-microbial activity of the Catharanthus roseus and Moringa oleifera leaf extracts.

The article reports data on chemical profiling by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of aqueous and methanolic leaf extracts of Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) and drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera) and on their antioxidant and antibacterial effects against three clinical human pathogens. In total 105 compounds were tentatively identified; in which 65 in Catharanthus roseus and 40 in Moringa oleifera compounds. A large number of peaks with good area percentage was found in methanolic extract of Catharanthus roseus with core chemical constituents such as trans-squalene, n-hexadecanoic acid, Eicosyl acetate, stearin, 1H-Benz(G)indole-3-carboxylic acid. The corresponding constituents from Moringa oleifera include 9-Octadecenoic acid (z)-, Heptadecanoic acid and phytol acetate. The highest scavenging activity (87.7% at 200 μg/mL) was shown by DPPH aqueous leaf extract of C. roseus. Moreover, the methanolic scavenging of both plant extracts was in the order of FRAP>DPPH>NO> H₂O₂ with lowest antioxidant activity (51.4% at 200 μg/mL) exposed by Catharanthus roseus in comparison of all cases. Good antibacterial action was examined against three different organisms (E.coli, B. subtilis and S. aureus) of aqueous infusion of Catharanthus roseus.