ABSTRACT
Jatropha tanjorensis, a medicinal plant indigenous to Nigeria, has long been utilized in traditional medicine for managing hypertension, diabetes, and anemia. Despite its ethnobotanical significance, scientific validation of its bioactive constituents remains limited. This study aimed to bridge this gap by conducting phytochemical screening and analyzing the saponifiable and unsaponifiable lipid fractions of Jatropha tanjorensis leaves using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Fresh leaves were collected, air-dried, and extracted with hexane. Phytochemical tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, phenols, glycosides, and eugenols, while tannins, flavonoids, and saponins were absent. GC-MS analysis of the unsaponifiable matter identified 4- acetylbutyric acid (24%) as the dominant metabolite, alongside phytol derivatives (5.9%) and hexadecenoic acid (5.43%), suggesting roles in energy metabolism and membrane integrity. The saponifiable fraction was rich in ethyl esters, including octanoic acid ethyl ester (16.54%) and decanoic acid ethyl ester (14.36%), indicative of industrial potential in flavoring and biofuel sectors. FT-IR spectra corroborated ester and aromatic functional groups, aligning with GC-MS findings.
