Abstract Traditional medicine is playing an important role in primary health care in developing countries. Increasing research on the impact of secondary metabolites on human physiology potentiated the applications of medicinal plants. Cassia auriculata L. is a plant of many medicinal attributes. The plant is used against diarrhea, leprosy, intestinal worms, female infertility, rheumatism and conjunctivitis. In this study, the oil from Cassia auriculata was analyzed by GC-MS. The GC-MS analysis showed sixteen components. Major constituents are : 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- methyl ester (33.02%); 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-methyl ester (26.77%); hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (17.59%) and methyl stereate( 15.86%). The antimicrobialpotential of the oil was attempted via the cup plate agar diffusion bioassay against five human pathogens(Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans).However, the oil failed to exhibit any antimicrobial activity.
Keywords Cassia auriculata, Oil, GC-MS Analysis, Antimicrobial Activity.