Abstract

Preliminary phytochemical screening of the root bark of Leptadenia hastata revealed the presence of steroids, flavoniods, saponins, terpenes, glycoside and tannins. Dried root bark powder of Leptadania hastata was subjected to cold maceration with methanol to obtain crude methanol extract, which was partitioned with n-hexane, ethylacetate, chloroform and n- butanol to give their respective fractions. Extensive phytochemical screening of the chloroform fraction using column chromatography and gel filtration chromatography resulted to the isolation of a pale white powder of stigmasterol glycoside which was identified by physical test, chemical test, IR, 1D – NMR, 2D – NMR and by comparison with reference spectral data.