| Summary: | Azadirachta excelsa is traditionally used by the locals to treat diabetes mellitus but the active compounds of the leaves have
not been identified yet. Hence, the aim of the study was to identify the components of Azadirachta excelsa leaf extract by
qualitative phytochemical screening and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Five grams of leaf extract were
extracted using various solvents for phytochemical screening, while another five grams of ethanolic leaf extract was subjected
for GC-MS analysis where the mass spectra of the compounds detected were matched with the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) library. The results showed the presence of flavonoids, condensed tannin, triterpenes and steroids in
phytochemical screening tests, while GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of seven major compounds in the ethanolic leaf
extract. The major component of A.excelsa ethanolic leaf extract was 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid (42.34%), followed by
pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-, methyl ester (28.99%), phytol (10.63%), 9, 12, 15-octadecatrien-1-ol (5.37%), octadecanoic
acid, methyl ester (4.36%), 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester (4.24%) and hexadecanoic acid, ethyl ester (4.06%).
Therefore, the findings of this study form a basis for the characterization of the compounds and allow researchers to investigate
the potential of this plant in treating diabetes mellitus.
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