<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p><jats:italic>Alchornea cordifolia</jats:italic> (Euphorbiaceae), a traditional African medicinal plant, is widely distributed in West Africa. A number of phenolic acids, notably gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, quercetin, quercetin arabinose and galactose glycosides, together with triisopentenyl guanidine were isolated from a methanolic extract of the leaves. The first two, and last one of these compounds showed considerable antibacterial activity.