Abstract:
This study has been conducted to determine the chemical composition as well as phytochemical
investigation and antimicrobial activity of the seed and leaf oil extracted from Argemone
ochroleuca growing in Haramaya Wereda , Eastern Ethiopia. The seed and leaf extracts were
obtained by Soxhlet extraction method using the solvent petroleum ether, chloroform and
methanol successively, and yielded pale yellowish petroleum ether oil (34.0 % and 5.13 % from
seed and leaf respectively). The oil was analyzed by GC-MS after esterification and revealed the
presence of seven different compounds from the seed and 32 from the leaf, each representing
100% of the total oil. The components found in seed oil were (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic
acid (linoleic acid) 58.72%, (E)-octadec-9-enoic acid (Elaidic acid) 22.35%, Hexadecanoic acid
(palmitic acid) 13.48%, Methyl stearate 4.81%, Methyl tetradecanoate 0.26%, 2-Pentanamine
0.19% and 2-(E)-heptenoic acid,(4S)-4-[((S)-alanyl)amino]-6-methyl 0.19 %. Similarly, the
components in the leaf were alpha- linolenic acid (25.81%), palmitic acid (19.41%) and
linoelaidic acid (5.87%) as a major compenent. Phytochemical screening test of the seed
extracts using three different solvents ( petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol) indicated the
presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, phenols and tannins in methanol extracts,
alkaloids, flavonoids, and carbohydrates were detected in chloroform extract. However none of them were detected in petroleum ether seed extract. On the other hand, the leaf extract showed
the presence of alkaloids, tannins and phenols in the petroleum ether crude extract, while
alkaloids, tannins, phenols and proteins were found in both chloroform and methanol crude
extracts. The antimicrobial activities of the leaf and seed oil of the plant were investigated by
disc diffusion method and showed moderate antimicrobial activity in 20 & 40 μL of oil.
Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi were
used for bacterial tests whereas Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum were selected for
test fungi. The maximum inhibition zone of the seed and leaf indicated in methanol extract
against S.aureus with (22.3±0.029 mm) and (18.46±0.076 mm) respectively.
