The ashes of some medicinally used tropical woods were characterised. These were Afzelia africana, Alstonia congensis, Antiaris africana, Terminalia ivorensis, Azadirachta indica, Ricinodendron heudelotti, Chlorophora excelsa and Daniellia ogea. The ashes were obtained by treating wood in a muffle furnace, after which the ashes dissolved in distilled water. The very alkaline solutions obtained were analysed for Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Cu2+, Cl-, SO 4 2- and PO 4 3- . Due to wide medicinal application of these wood species experiments were made to determine the cations and anions which may be active ingredients in the compounds (drugs) used in the treatment of differet ailments.