Vol. 7(45), pp. 3332-3336, 3 December, 2013 DOI: 10.5897/JMPR2013.5283 ISSN 1996-0875 ©2013 Academic Journals http://www.academicjournals.org/JMPR Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Full Length Research Paper Chemical characterization and antimicrobial activity of Loranthus micranthus Linn leaves Fagbohun Adebisi 1 *, Adedirin Oluwaseye 1 , Akanji Fausat 1 , Afolayan Michael 1 , Adebiyi Adedayo 1 , Pius Ikokoh 1 , Abubakar Salisu 2 and Nkemkude Chukwu 3 1 Chemistry Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science & Technology Complex, PMB 186 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria. 2 Biotechnology Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science & Technology Complex, PMB 186 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria. 3 Renewable Resource Limited, Abuja, Nigeria. Accepted 6 November, 2013 The leaves of Loranthus micranthus Linn on shear butter tree was harvested in Suleja Nigeria for phytochemical screening, antioxidant activities, antimicrobial properties and proximate analyses. The crude ethanol extract of L. micranthus was observed for its antimicrobial activities at various concentrations (60, 30 and 15 μg/disc) using agar diffusion method, and was tested on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyhi-1, Klebbsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis and the results documented. Gradient extractions of ethanol (A), petroleum-spirit (B) and ethyl acetate (C) extracts were screened for phytochemical analysis and the result for ethanol extract showed positive results for tannins, glycosides, saponins, phenols, cardiac glycosides, phlobatanins, volatile oil, steroids and balsams; petroleum spirit extract indicated positive result for tannin, phenols, alkaloids, cardenolides, terpenoids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, resins, and volatile oil. While ethyl acetate extract indicated positive results for tannins, phenols, alkaloids, cardenolides, terpenoids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, resins, and balsams. The anti-oxidant activities of the crude ethanolic extract of the leaves also showed positive results when compared with the ascorbic acid standard as the percentage inhibition of the extract increase as concentrations of the extract decreases relative to the standard. Proximate analysis results indicated that moisture content contain 6.497%, ash content 11.67%, crude fibre 19.54%, crude fibre 19.54%, crude protein 1.487%, crude fat 11.04 and carbohydrate 49.76%. Key words: Loranthus micranthus Linn, phytochemical, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant properties, proximate. INTRODUCTION African mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus Linn) belongs to the family Loranthaceae, popularly called Kauchi and ewe afomon in Fulani and Yoruba tribes of Nigeria, respectively; it is an obligate semi-parasitic evergreen tropical plant, normally found growing on a variety of trees, including palm fruit, mahogany and other tropical plants. Bird feeds on the fruit from the plant and the undigested seeds from the bird droppings spread on trees branches and thus germinate on the host plant. It is among the plants whose leaves are used for pharmaceutical practices (Krenzelok et al., 1997). There is an increasing demand for medicinal plants and plant products as alternative to orthodox medicine especially in developing countries (Murray, 1998). In Nigeria, L. micranthus Linn is used as remedy for several human and animal ailments that include stomach ache, diarrhoea, dysentery, wound and cancer. L. micranthus has been analyzed and observed to contain lecithin, viscotoxin, polysaccharides and many phytochemicals as an active ingredient (Leoper, 1999). It has been reported to have hypoglycaemic properties since it decreases the blood glucose level and has effects of controlling the loss of body weight which occurs during diabetes mellitus (Obatomi et al., 1994; Akinjobi et al., 2004). *Corresponding author. E-mail: fagbohun@shestco.org