Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Synonyms —
C
.
altum
Lerr.,
C. floribundum
Engl. & Diels,
C
.
raimbaultii
Heck
Family —
Combretaceae
Common Name —
Kinkeliba bark
African Names —
Hausa: geza; Igbo: obi-agwu; Swahili: mlama muepe; Yoruba: okan
Description —
It is a bushy shrub or creeper and grows up to 20 m in length. The leaves are
opposite and oval acuminate with the lamina covered with reddish scales on the inner side with
downy tufts at the axis of lateral ribs. The flowers are borne as short axillary clusters on scaly
stalks, with a whitish corolla and ferruginous scales covering the calyx. The fruits are small, 1.5 m
in diameter, scaly and ferruginous, and four winged.
Habitat and Distribution —
The genus is found all over the continent, but the subject species
appears to be dominant in the savanna belt. It is found from Sudan to Nigeria and from Gambia to
Congo. Several related species are used medicinally in southern African.
Ethnomedicinal Uses —
Decoction of the root of
Combretum micranthum
(also
C.
mucrona-
tum,
Fam. Combretaceae) is used in West Africa for the treatment of guinea worm infestation.
457
An oral dose (0.03 g/kg) of the decoction caused a complete extrusion of the worms in 43 of the
44 patients treated. There was a marked reduction in the inflammation around the lesions. Ampofo
also found that application of sterilized palm oil aided in the healing of the wounds.
457
Combretum
has been used as an antidiuretic, anticholagogue, and antibacterial.
138
The leaves of this plant
yield a drug called “kinkeliba,” which has been listed in the French, Spanish, and British
Extra
Pharmacopoeia
under supplementary drugs and indicated for blackwater and other fevers.
205
A
decoction of the leaf and root is applied as a vapor bath, as a wash for febrile conditions, and as a
remedy for lumbago.
138
An ointment prepared with the pulverized dry fruits has been used as an
application to suppurating wounds and abscesses. Various members of the genus are also employed
as an anthelmintic in many parts of Africa and Asia. Kinkeliba “tea” is used in West Africa as
a general tonic or morning hot beverage as a substitute for tea. It enjoys a reputation in Guinea,
Mali, and Senegal as a supplement for the management of diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol.
Constituents —
Combretum
species yield catechins, glycosides, choline, organic acids, tan-
nins, and resin. The isomeric flavonoids vitexin and saponaretin have been shown to be present in
the leaves.
458
The leaves also contain the alkaloids combretacins.
459
The stem bark has been shown
to yield similar alkaloids.
460
Pharmacological Studies —
Extracts of the leaves are inhibitory against strains of
Staphylococcus, Streptococcus,
and
Escherichia
.
461
The stem bark extract has also been shown to
possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.
273
The catechins are strongly diuretic with a mild
hypotensive action.
462
The young leaves of a related species,
C.
racemosum,
are effective as an
anthelmintic.
463
The aqueous extract of the leaves showed dose-dependent antidiabetic activity on
alloxan-induced hyperglycemic rats.
464
Combretum
species have demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, and
antioxidant activities.
465
The relatively low toxicity of the decoction used as teas makes kinkeliba a
potential dietary supplement for the treatment of the chronic diseases for which it is used in tradi-
tional medicine.
COMMIPHORA MOLMOL
Botanical Name —
Commiphora molmol
Engl.
Synonyms —
C. hildebrandtii., C. serrulata., C. rivae., C. cuspidate., C. coriacea., Balsamea
myrrha
(T. Nees) Oken.,
Balsamea myrrha
Baill.,
Balsamodendrum myrrha
T. Ne es
Family —
Burseraceae
