Abstract:
The plant is used for traditional medicine especially its leaf powder with jelly smear on infected
wounds. In the present study, powdered leaf of the plant was sequentially extracted with organic
solvents: n-hexane, methanol/chloroform (1:1), methanol and was carried out on the chemical
composition, antimicrobial activity and phytochemical screening of the leaves extract of Ehretia
cymosa. Phytochemical screening of Ehretia cymosa leaves were performed on n-hexane,
methanol/chloroform and methanol crude extracts and showed the presence of steroids, tannins,
carbohydrates, flavonoids, terpenoids, cholesterols and phenolic compounds that might be
responsible for the claimed activities by local people. The leaf crude extracts of Ehretia cymosa
were tested in vitro for antimicrobial activity by disc diffusion method. The maximum
antibacterial activity was shown in methanol crude extract against Salmonella typhimurium with
inhibition zone diameter of 23.5 mm at 20µL dose. Whereas maximum antifungal activity was
observed by methanol: chloroform and methanol crude extract against Aspergillus niger with
inhibition zone diameter of 21.8 mm and 21.0 mm at 20µL dose respectively. Chemical
compounds: Oleic acid (23.42%), (8E,11E)-octadeca- 8,11-dienoic acid (22.67%), 3,4-bis (2-
methylhexyl) phthalate (16.93%), palmitic acid (11.12%), Phenol, 2,2'-methylenebis[6- (1,1-
dimethyl ethyl)-4-methyl (5.11%), methyl stearate (3.46%), methyl- 18-methylnonadecanoate
(3.31%), methyl tetradecanoate (2.39%), ethyl palmitate (2.38%), (9Z, 12Z, 15Z)-octadeca9,12,15-trienoic
acid (1.72%), decanoic acid (1.33%), 10-methyl undecanoic acid (1.06%) and
benzyl nitrile (1.04%) were found as the major constituents by GC-MS characterization. These
compounds showed the potential as antimicrobial agents and might be used to improve
therapeutic efficiency to overcome, rising bacterial and fungal resistance of existing drugs.
