Abstract

Donatus Ebere Okwu* and Ephraim Chintua Igara

A new antibacterial agent 51 , 7 1 dimethyl 61 – hydroxy 3 1 , phenyl 3  - amine  - yne sitosterol 1 has been isolated from Datura metel leaves. The structure of 1 was established using 13C, 1H NMR, IR and MS spectroscopic data. Compound 1 displayed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabis, Solmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis and Klebsiella pneumonia but could not inhibit Escherichia coli. This result supported the use of Datura metel in phytomedicine for the treatment of asthma, cough, burns and healing of wounds in Nigeria.