Adumanya OCU, Uwakwe AA and Essien EB
Salacia senegalensis is an acclaimed medicinal plant use locally by the people of the South-East zone Nigeria in the treatment of malaria, skin problem like eczema and lotion for sick children. However, no scientific data on essential oil (terpenes) composition of its leaves have been reported. Hence, the essential oil compositions of its leaves were analyzed using Gas Chromatography (GC). A total of 38 compounds (essential oil) was identified and the most abundant as shown in the results are Alpha Terpinene (13.8 %), Germacrene D (12.4 %), Alpha phenandrene (11.6 %), Alpha Pinene (11.5 %), Alpha Caryophyllene (11.2 %), Linalool (9.2 %), Caryophyllene Oxide (9.1 %), Cymene (8.3 %), Carvacrol (5.6 %), 1, 8-Cineole (4.9 %) and Beta Pinene (1.8 %).
