Isolation and Characterization of Geranylated Chalcone from Ethylacetate Fraction of <i>Terminalia brownii </i>Fresen (Combretaceae)

<i>Terminalia brownii</i> is a deciduous tree characterized by spirally arranged leaves concentrated at the ends of its branches. The plant is widely distributed in Northern Nigeria and other part of Africa, including Congo, Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Traditionally, it is used for treating various conditions such as gastric ulcers, epilepsy, colitis, jaundice, fungal infections, diarrhea, malaria, hepatitis, and allergic reactions. This study aimed to analyzed the crude methanol leave extract and ethyl acetate fraction of <i>Terminalia brownii</i> to isolate secondary metabolites. Plant material was collected, air-dried, pulverized, and extracted using cold maceration with 70% methanol. The resulting crude methanol extract was fractionated with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol to yield their respective fractions. The ethyl acetate underwent extensive column chromatography using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Structural characterization of the isolated compound was conducted through physical and chemical analysis, UV and IR spectroscopy, advanced 1D and 2D NMR techniques, supported by literature references. This process resulted in the isolation of a yellow amorphous compound, identified as 2’,6’,4-trihydroxy-3’-methoxy-4-O-prenyloxy chalcone (geranylated chalcone). The compound is isolated for the first time from <i>Terminalia brownii </i>leave, this discovery convey <i>Terminalia brownii</i> as a rich source of secondary metabolites and contributes to the taxonomy of the plant.