Asian Journal of Green Chemistry
3.8(Q2)
CiteScore
27
h-index

Therapeutic Insights into Mirabilis Jalapa: Linking Solvent Extraction to Pharmacological Activities, Toxicity Evaluation, Cytotoxicity, and Nanoformulation Advances

Articles in Press

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

Gowrishankar J 1
Pughazendhi R 1
Muthukumaran M 1
Manimegalai K 1
Nivetha Jasmine E 1
Sittarthan V 2

1 School of Pharmacy SBV Karaikal Campus, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Karaikal- 609 609, India

2 Shri Venkateshwara College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Puducherry - 601102, India

10.48309/ajgc.2026.552496.1860
Abstract
Mirabilis jalapa, commonly known as "Four O'clock plant", is an ancient medicinal herb that claims a wide range of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidiabetic, and hepatoprotective, as well as potentially antiviral and anticancer properties in both in vivo and in vitro approaches. Due to its abundance of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, and glycosides and ethnobotanical, the plant considered to possess these properties; however, it also shown a significant degree of activity across several different indications. In this regard, the current study focuses on its major importance concerning the polarity of the solvent used for extraction. Since aqueous extracts have demonstrated low activity, while maximum yields of bioactive fractions have been reported with methanol and ethanol. Some of the novel approaches include nanoformulation and green synthesis, which involve biogenic silver, zinc oxide, and polymeric nanoparticles to enhance solubility, stability, and selectivity, while decreasing toxicity toward normal cells. Among others, nanoparticles derived from ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIP) selectively exhibit excellent anticancer activity against breast cancer cells. The toxicological evaluation compliant with OECD guidelines predicts that Mirabilis jalapa extracts are broadly safe up to 2,000 mg/kg in rodents, and thus further confirming their therapeutic utility. This review consolidates the extraction processes, phytochemical screening, and pharmacological findings, as well as their applications in biotechnology in a systematic manner based on the research conducted on Mirabilis jalapa. Providing a foundation for further drug discovery and translational research derived from this multipurpose medicinal plant, this work combines cytotoxicity data, toxicity assessment, and nanotechnology-based formulations.

Graphical Abstract

Therapeutic Insights into Mirabilis Jalapa: Linking Solvent Extraction to Pharmacological Activities, Toxicity Evaluation, Cytotoxicity, and Nanoformulation Advances

Keywords

Mirabilis jalapa
Phytochemicals
Pathogens
Nanoformulation
Green synthesis
Pharmacological activity

Subjects

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Asian Journal of Green Chemistry

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 31 January 2026

  • Receive Date 03 November 2025
  • Revise Date 30 November 2025
  • Accept Date 28 January 2026

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