[01] Nnenna E. Okoronkwo, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Abia State University Uturu, Nigeria. [02] Kingsley A. Mbachu, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Abia State University Uturu, Nigeria. [03] Nnaukwu N. C., Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Abia State University Uturu, Nigeria.

Dennettia tripetala plant is commonly used in the south eastern Nigeria as appetite stimulant, cough suppressant and to stop excess saliva. This work evaluated the chemical compositions and in vitro microbial activity of leave extracts of the plant. The result of present study revealed the presence of alkaloid (26.14 ± 0.6%), flavonoid (21.0 ± 2.0%), saponnins (3.77 ± 0.7%), phenols (0.33 ± 0.29%) and tannins (0.68 ± 0.17%) in the leaves. The vitamin, proximate and mineral compositions showed appreciable amount of the parameters determined. Ascorbic acid had the highest content (20.0 ± 4.1), followed by thiamin (2.01 ±0.08%), while niacin was the least (0.43 ± 0.03%). The in vitro antibacterial activity results showed that both the water and ethanol extracts exhibited activity against Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumonia and with no activity observed on the strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Eleven fatty acids were identified from the methanol extract subjected to GC/MS analysis. Palmitic acid had the highest composition of 26.17% while caprylic acid had the least (0.48%). The result of the chloroform extract on GC/MS analysis showed seventeen peaks indicating the presence of seventeen (17) compounds. Compound 7, an alcohol with molecular formula C20H40O (m/z 296), for which the base peak occurred at m/z 43 (C3H7) and identified as (2E)-3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol had the highest percentage composition of 19.93%; while compound 3 had the least percentage composition of 1.53% and was identified as menth-1,3,8-triene with molecular formula C10H14 (m/z 134). The research findings justify some of the traditional uses of the plant leaves.

Bacteria, Bioactive, Dennettia tripetala, Fatty Acids, Leaves

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