Chemical investigation of the dichloromethane extract of the leaves of Sphaeranthus africanus afforded carvotanacetone derivatives (1, 3a and 3b), chrysosplenol D (4), squalene (5), spinasterol (6), and stigmasterol (7). The structures of 1 and 3a-7 were identified by NMR spectroscopy.

Sphaeranthus indicus L. were tested against the uropathogenic organisms Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabils, and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. Acetobector. It was found that out of the four extract the methanolic extract possessed higher degree of antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. However against Klebsiella pneumonia ethanolic extract of plant showed higher activity than any other extract, whereas against Proteus mirabils, Chloroformic extract show similar inhibition zone as that with Kanamycin. It is also observed that against Acetobector and Pseudomonas methnolic and ethanolic extract shows similar activity, however it was higher than chloroform extract.