Abstract This study was designed to investigate the constituents and antimicrobial activity of Croton cordofana oil. The genus Croton comprise a diverse group of plants including trees, herbs and shrubs. Croton species are used against a wide array of diseases including cancer, diabetes, dysentery, worms, ulcers, inflammations and weight loss. GC- MS analysis of Croton cordofana oil revealed the presence of four major constituents: 9,12-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (44.32%); 9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (23.42%); hexdecanoic acid (15.18%) and methyl stearate (12.99%). In the cup plate agar diffusion assay, the oil was screened for antimicrobial activity against five standard human pathogens. However, the oil failed to show any activity.
Keywords Croton cordofana, Oil, Constituents, Antimicrobial Activity.