Abstract

Isolation and Characterization of Steroid from N-Hexane Extract of the Stem Bark of Indigofera arrecta

Author(s): Akabuogu EP2*, Ndukwe GI1, Okeh Q2 and Igiri B2

To isolate, characterize and determine the antimicrobial activity of compounds present in the n-Hexane fraction of the stem bark of Indigofera arrecta. Indigofera arrecta was collected, dried and pulverized. The pulverized plant material was exhaustively extracted with methanol, partitioned with different solvents. Based on the most active extract on the microorganisms, the n-Hexane extract was subjected to chromatographic techniques which yielded EB. EB was characterized using IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques. The structure of the isolated compound was established to be 3β, 22E-Sigmasta-5, 22-dien-3-ol (stigmasterol) using spectroscopic analysis. The isolated compound showed significant antimicrobial activity on some selected microorganisms.