Journal of Applied Chemical Science International

Medicinal plants have gained global attention as important sources of bioactive compounds with therapeutic and health-promoting potential. Acacia nilotica, a plant widely used in traditional medicine, was selected for this study due to its reported pharmacological properties. This study evaluated the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity of the ethanolic leaf extract of Acacia nilotica. Fresh leaves of Acacia nilotica were collected, authenticated and extracted in ethanol using the cold maceration method. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were performed using standard methods to detect the presence and concentration of phenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, carbohydrates, reducing sugars, steroids, terpenoids, and cardiac glycosides while the antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay. The crude ethanolic leaf extract contained high concentration of phenols (16.3 ± 0.02 mg/g), carbohydrates (16.5 ± 0.05 mg/g), flavonoids (10.4 ± 0.02 mg/g), tannins (10.1 ± 0.02 mg/g), and reducing sugars (10.7 ± 0.01 mg/g), while alkaloids (4.9±0.01 mg/g), saponins (5.3±0.01 mg/g), and glycosides (4.1±0.02mg/g) were present in moderate amounts. Steroids and terpenoids were not detected. The antioxidant assay revealed a concentration-dependent activity, with maximum inhibition of 88.6 ± 0.64% at 500 µg/mL, compared to 96.0 ± 0.06% for ascorbic acid. These findings show that the ethanolic leaf extract of Acacia nilotica is a rich and promising source of natural antioxidants and bioactive phytochemicals that may be responsible for pharmacological effects. The works provide bridges between traditional knowledge and modern science to validate ethnomedicinal claims with laboratory-based evidence. For further research, it can inspire isolation of specific compounds, in vivo testing, or formulation of herbal drugs supporting its traditional use and potential for pharmaceutical applications.