Phytochemical Screening, Anti-Microbial Activity and Some Physico-Chemical Analysis of Awolowo Weed (Chromoleana Odorata Leaf) Extract

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the phytochemical composition, some Physico-chemical factors and antimicrobial activity of Awolowo weed (Chromolaena odorata) collected from Benue State University Zoological garden. The leaf extract of Chromolaena odorata with different solvents (ethanol and n-hexane) were investigated. The phytochemical analysis was carried on the leaf extracts of chromolaena odorata and the result showed the presence of many active secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phlobatannin, phenols and anthraquinones, only phlobatannin was absent in both solvent extracts. The antimicrobial activity of the Hexane extracts indicated least and highest zones of inhibition of 6.00 mm and 11.67 mm against P. aeruginosa, 5.33 mm and 10.67 mm against salmonella, 4.33 mm and 8.67 mm for E. coli. While for the ethanol extract, the least and highest zones of inhibition of 5.00 mm and 10.67 mm against P. aeruginosa, 5.00 mm and 10.33 mm against salmonella, 6.33 mm and 11.00 mm for E. coli. The ethanol extract had a specific gravity of 1.48g, an iodine value of 92.4 Wij’s, the peroxide value 0.52 meq peroxide/grams of the sample, pH of 4.3 at 31 ⁰C and refractive index of 1.621 at 20 ⁰C. Chromolaena odorata extract possesses antimicrobial activity and thus, represents a promising source for medicine and has enormous therapeutic potentials that can be largely explored.