Phytoconstituent Profiling and Biological Activity Assessment of Hydrilla verticillata Extract for Multifaceted Biotechnological Applications

Abstract

Hydrilla verticillata is an aquatic macrophyte traditionally regarded as an invasive weed; however, recent investigations have demonstrated that it contains diverse phytochemicals with significant pharmacological potential. The present study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical composition of H. verticillata ethanolic extract and investigate its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and biological applications through qualitative phytochemical analysis, GC–MS profiling, and in vitro bioassays. Fresh plant material was collected, shade dried, powdered, and extracted using ethanol by Soxhlet extraction. Preliminary phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, and glycosides. GC–MS analysis identified major bioactive compounds including phytol, hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, linoleic acid derivatives, octadecanoic acid, and diterpenes. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH radical scavenging assay, while antimicrobial efficacy was evaluated against selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains using agar well diffusion method. The ethanolic extract exhibited substantial antioxidant activity with concentration-dependent radical scavenging effects and showed appreciable antimicrobial inhibition against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The findings suggest that H. verticillata possesses considerable therapeutic potential and may serve as a promising source of natural bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and biomedical applications.