Abstract

• White willow (Salix alba L.) grous throughout Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia. The genus Salix has traditionally been used in folk medicine for different kinds of pain due to the presence of salicylic acid. This paper highlights the isolation of three friedelane triterpenoids: 3-oxo friedelane (L-1, 0.006 %, m.pt 258-260 ºC), 3-β-hydroxyl friedelane (L-2, 0.04 %, m.pt 275-277 ºC) and 3 oxofriedelan-21-acetate (L-3, 0.046 %, m.pt 303-305 ºC) from the pet ether extract of the bark of Salix alba L. These compounds were isolated using column chromatographic method and identified by FT IR, 1H NMR, and 13CNMR,