Combretum mucronatum

Family

Combretaceae

show more data (8)

Synonyms

Combretum smeathmannii G.Don (1827).

Vernacular names

Origin and geographic distribution

Combretum mucronatum occurs from Senegal east to DR Congo, Gabon and western Uganda.

show more data (10)

Uses

In West Africa leaf sap or pounded leaves are applied to wounds as a haemostatic, and also to old wounds, boils and burns. In Côte d’Ivoire the We people use leaf sap as eye drops to treat eye infections. Babies are bathed in a leaf decoction to calm them. In Ghana a decoction of the finely cut roots, together with Capsicum pepper or wood ash, is taken to treat chest-pain and gonorrhoea, and an infusion of young leaves with natron is taken as a vermifuge. Leaves of Combretum mucronatum and Mitragyna stipulosa (DC.) Kuntze are given to cattle to treat Guinea worm. In Nigeria the cooked leaves are eaten to prevent illness. In Cameroon pounded leaves are applied as wound dressing. In Gabon ground leaves are applied to the vagina to treat post-partum pain. In DR Congo the ash from the twig bark is rubbed into scarifications on the forehead to treat psychosis.
The flowers produce much nectar and are a good forage plant for bees. In DR Congo a black dye is made from the leaf sap.

Production and international trade

Combretum mucronatum is only locally used.

Properties

A crude leaf extract showed moderate activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. A preliminary clinical test with 44 people with Guinea-worm infection given a root decoction to drink, gave promising results.
Water and ethanolic extracts of the leaves increased keratinocytes and fibroblasts mitochondrial activity at 10 μg/ml significantly, while higher concentrations turned out to have an inhibitory effect. The ethanolic extract also showed significant free radical scavenger activity in vitro.

Description

Scrambling shrub or liana up to 13 m long; young branches densely short-hairy with reddish hairs. Leaves opposite, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole 4–8 mm long, short-hairy; blade obovate, up to 16 cm × c. 8 cm, base rounded to almost cordate, apex abruptly acuminate, slightly short-hairy beneath, with translucent dots, pinnately veined with 7–11 pairs of prominent lateral veins. Inflorescence an axillary and terminal panicle up to 9 cm. long, crowded at the apex of branches, peduncle 2–4 cm long. Flowers bisexual, regular, 4-merous, white; receptacle consisting of 2 parts, lower part 2–3 mm long, upper part cup-shaped, c. 1.5 mm × 2 mm, densely red hairy; sepals tiny, petals transversely elliptical to obtriangular, 2–3 mm long, margins minutely ciliate; stamens 8, c. 4 mm long; ovary inferior, 1-celled, style c. 4 mm long. Fruit a 4-winged nut, almost orbicular to broadly obovate in outline, 1–1.8 cm long, with 1–2 mm long stipe, wings papery, straw-coloured, sometimes tinged with purple, minutely short-hairy. Seedling with hypogeal germination.

show more data (2)

Other botanical information

Combretum is a very large genus, comprising about 250 species and distributed worldwide in the tropics and subtropics. About 140 species occur in tropical Africa; c. 20 species are endemic to Madagascar.
Several other Combretum spp. are medicinally used in Central Africa. Combretum carringtonianum Exell & J.G.Garcia occurs from Gabon east to DR Congo. In DR Congo seed powder is applied to wounds and rubbed into scarifications of the skin to treat severe pain.
Combretum cintereopetalum Engl. & Diels occurs from Cameroon east to southern Sudan and south to Angola. In Gabon the leaf sap is applied on burns to speed up healing. A leaf infusion or decoction is drunk to treat diarrhoea, as a diuretic and to treat pain after a miscarriage. In DR Congo a decoction of the leafy stem is drunk to treat peptic ulcer. A maceration of pounded leaves and roots is drunk to treat inflammation of the pelvis in women.

show more data (1)

Ecology

Combretum mucronatum occurs in secondary forest, forest margins and riverine forest, as well as wooded savana, often in rather marshy localities, from sea-level up to 800 m altitude.

show more data (13)

Propagation and planting

Combretum mucronatum can be propagated by seed and by stem cuttings of 10–15 cm long.

Harvesting

Plant parts are harvested whenever the need arises. Roots are mainly harvested during the rainy season.

Genetic resources and breeding

Combretum mucronatum has a large area of distribution and seems nowhere scarce. It is therefore not threatened by genetic erosion.

Prospects

Combretum mucronatum seems to have some potential as an anthelmintic, especially in the treatment of Guinea worms. Biochemical and pharmacological studies including safety and formulation studies are needed to evaluate its potential.

Major references

• Agyare, C., Asase, A., Lechtenberg, M., Niehues, M., Deters, A. & Hensel, A., 2009. An ethnopharmacological survey and in vitro confirmation of ethnopharmacological use of medicinal plants used for wound healing in Bosomtwi-Atwima-Kwanwoma area, Ghana. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 125(3): 393–403.
• Atindehou, K.K., Schmid, C., Brun, R., Koné, M.W. & Traoré, D., 2004. Antitrypanosomal and antiplasmodial activity of medicinal plants from Côte d’Ivoire. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 90(2): 221–227.
• Burkill, H.M., 1985. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 1, Families A–D. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 960 pp.
• Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.
• Wickens, G.E., 1973. Combretaceae. In: Polhill, R.M. (Editor). Flora of Tropical East Africa. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. 99 pp.

show more data (7)

Other references

• Betti, J.-L. & Lejoly, J., 1999. Importance en médecine traditionnelle de Combretum mucronatum Schum. & Thonn. (Combretaceae) dans le Dja (Cameroun). In : Nasi, R., Amsallem, I. & Drouineau, S (Editors). La gestion des forêts denses africaines d’aujourd’hui. Séminaire FORAFRI, Libreville, Gabon. pp. 1–16.
• Atindehou, K.K., Koné, M., Terreaux, C., Traoré, D., Hostettmann, K. & Dosso, M., 2002. Evaluation of the antimicrobial potential of medicinal plants from the Ivory Coast. Phytotherapy Research 16(5): 497–502.
• Liben, L., 1983. Combretaceae. Flore du Cameroun. Volume 25. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. 97 pp.
• Sofowora, A., 1996. Plantes médicinales et médecine traditionelle d’Afrique. Karthala, Paris, France. 378 pp.
• Tchoumboué, J., Mpoame M. & Akamba, M.D.G., 1996. Essai comparé de traitement de nématodes de poulet au “Sodivermyl” -Baird et à l’écorce de Combretum sp. (Combretaceae). Tropicultura 14 (1): 4–5.
• Tona, L., Ngimbi, N.P., Tsakala, M., Mesia, K., Cimanga, K., Apers, S., de Bruyne, T., Pieters, L., Totté, J. & Vlietinck, A.J., 1999. Antimalarial activity of 20 crude extracts from nine African medicinal plants used in Kinshasa, Congo. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 68: 193–203.

Afriref references

Author(s)

•	A.J. Bagué Serrano Cmdte. Mariano Hernández 100 altos / Julio A. Mella y Marti, Sancti Spiritus C.P. 60100, Cuba

Editors

•	G.H. Schmelzer PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands
•	A. Gurib-Fakim Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius

Associate editors

•	R. Arroo Leicester School of Pharmacy, Natural Products Research, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH, United Kingdom

Correct citation of this article

Bagué Serrano, A.J., 2011. Combretum mucronatum Schumach. & Thonn. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. <http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp>. Accessed .

Additional references

Citation in books
	There are 56 book citations related to *Combretum mucronatum Schumach. & Thonn.*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in web searches
	There are 112 citation in web searches related to *Combretum mucronatum Schumach. & Thonn.*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in scholarly articles
	There are 22 citation in scholarly articles related to *Combretum mucronatum Schumach. & Thonn.*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in news articles
	There are 1 news article citations related to *Combretum mucronatum Schumach. & Thonn.*. Click on "show more" to view them.

Citation in Afrirefs
	There are 12 citations in Afrirefs related to *Combretum mucronatum Schumach. & Thonn.*. Click on "show more" to view them.