Phytochemical and in vitro biological evaluation of Artemisia scoparia Waldst. & Kit for enhanced extraction of commercially significant bioactive compounds

•Aqueous extracts of Artemisia scoparia gave highest yield (10%).•Ethanolic extract showed higher antioxidant and protein kinase inhibition activity.•Kaempferol, rutin, apigenin, caffeic acid and artemisinin were quantified by HPLC.•Chloroform extract showed lethality against Leishmania tropica and brine shrimp.•Methanolic extract exhibited anticancer activity against THP1 leukemia cell line.

The validation of ethno botanical data from the under explored folk plant remedies represent an inexhaustible reservoir of novel compounds for drug discovery. The present work was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical analysis and various biological activities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antileishmanial, cytotoxic, anticancer, and protein kinase inhibition) of Artemisia scoparia whole plant extracts prepared by employing an eclectic range of solvents polarities. Among 14 extraction solvents employed, maximum percent extract recovery (10%) was obtained when distilled water was employed as extraction solvent. The highest amount of gallic acid equivalent total phenolic (26.7 μg GAE/mg extract) and quercetin equivalent flavonoid contents (18.7 μg QE/mg extract) were quantified in ethanolic extract. Reverse phase HPLC–DAD based quantitative evaluation showed significant amount of rutin, quercetin, caffeic acid, kaempferol, apigenin and artemisinin ranging from 0.06 to 6.55 μg/mg extract. Ethanolic extract also exhibited highest DPPH scavenging (45.82%) reduction potential and total antioxidant capacity (110 and 60 μg ascorbic acid equivalent/mg extract, respectively). The remarkable toxicity profile against brine shrimps and leishmania (reported for the first time) was manifested by chloroform extract with LC50 272 μg/ml and 141 μg/ml, respectively. Only methanolic extract exhibited a conspicuous in vitro anticancerous activity against THP1 human leukemia cell line with IC50 6.93 μg/ml. The ethanolic extract also exhibited significant inhibitory activity against Streptomyces 85E with 15 mm bald zone which provides a useful evidence of its protein kinase inhibition potential. This study provides strong evidence that multiple solvent system is very crucial to explore the comprehensive biological potential of medicinal plants and extraction of commercially important compounds.