Phytochemical screening result of the methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of the leaves of Ehretia cymosa (Borginaceae) revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, terpenes and steroids. Phenolics were detected neither in the methanol nor ethyl acetate extract. The EtOAc extract after silica gel column chromatography has led to the isolation of two isomeric triterepnes identified as α-amyrin and β-amyrin. This is the first report of the isolation of α- and β-amyrin from this species. The antibacterial activities of the methanol extract were tested against four bacterial strains such as S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and P. mirabilis. The extract exhibited pronounceable activity against E. coli and S. aureus. This is significant as this plant may be used as a remedy to treat infectious diseases caused by these two pathogens such as diarrhea. Therefore, the antibacterial activity displayed by the leaves extract of E. cymosa corroborates the traditional use of this plant against bacteria. The methanol and ethyl acetate extracts displayed low percent inhibition of DPPH likely accounted to the absence of phenolics.
