The 80% methanolic and ethanolic extracts of the dried leaves of Jatropha curcas were subjected to phytochemical and antimicrobial sensitivity screening. The phytochemical screening for the methanolic extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides while the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, anthraquninones and combined anthraquinones. The phytochemical screening of the methanolic extract of Chlorophora excelsa also revealed the presence of the above metabolites found in J. curcas excluding the cardiac glycosides whilst the phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins and flavonoids. The antimicrobial activity of both leaf extracts were independently assessed using clinical isolates of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus. The techniques used were the well-in-agar diffusion and agar dilution methods which showed that the leaves were active against Staphylococcus aureus but not against Candida albicans.

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