Abstract:
Crassocephalum crepidioides is an edible plant which is also used in the ethnomedical treatment of
stomach ulcer, indigestion, wounds, boils and burns in Africa and some other parts of the world. This
study aims at identifying and characterizing the bioactive compounds present in C. crepidioides hexane
fraction which may be responsible for the ethnomedicinal uses and reported activities of the plant. The
crude extract from the powdered leaves of C. crepidioides was obtained with 70% methanol, followed
by solvent partitioning with hexane to give the hexane fraction which was subjected to phytochemical
profiling using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Spectrum interpretation was obtained
from the library search of the database of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), while
biological activities of compounds identified were predicted based on Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and
Ethnobotanical Databases. The results revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds with
various biological activities including Hexadecanoic methyl ester and α-Linolenic acid with reported
hypocholesterolemic properties; Benzofuranone and Benzofuran with anticancer and antiviral
activities; phenolic compounds and flavonoids with reported antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and
antifungal activities among others. The study showed that C. crepidioides contains compounds with
important biological activities which provide scientific support for some medicinal uses of the plant.
