Abstract Cordia Africana is considered as a good source of herbal medicine, food (fruit is edible), firewood and bee forage. The plant is used traditionally against stomach-ache, tooth-ache, wounds and cough. In this study Cordia Africana oil has been investigated by GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, the oil has been assessed for its antimicrobial activity. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 27 components. Major constituents are: a) 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, methyl ester (37.02%) (b)-hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (18.02%) (c)-methyl stearate (10.01%) (d)- docosanoic acid, methyl ester (6.83%) (e)- 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester (6.18%) and (f) eicosanoic acid, methyl ester (5.77%). The antimicrobial potential of the oil has been evaluated using the agar diffusion bioassay. The oil showed moderate activity against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Keywords Cordia africana GC-MS analysis, Antimicrobial Activity.