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Abstract
The composition of the essential oil of the leaves and flowers of A. africanus from Nigeria were analyzed by GC-MS. Thirty-two compounds representing 88.7 % of the essential oil were characterized from the leaves parts of A. africanus. The essential oil was dominated by 2-(1,1-dimethylethoxy)-ethanol (22.97 %), caryophyllene oxide (18.56 %), 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene (10.0 %), 1-Ethyl-1,4-dimethylbenzene (5.76 %) and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (4.42 %). A total of 35 compounds, representing 93.9 % of the total oil were identified from flowers parts of A. africanus. The major constituents were caryophyllene oxide (51.6 %), β-caryophyllene (5.70 %), humulene-1,2-epoxide (5.43 %) and geranylacetone (4.32 %). The antioxidant potential of the leaves and flowers essential oils of A. africanus was determined on the basis of scavenging activity of the stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The percentage inhibitions of the leaves and flowers essential oils were 50.01 and 58.49 % respectively higher than 13.84 % for the positive control, ascorbate. The results provide a support for the use of this plant in traditional medicine for possessing considerable therapeutic potential. The results also supported further studies on A. africanus.