Combretum comosum (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Medicinal
Ornamental

Combretum comosum G.Don

distribution in Africa (wild)

Protologue: Edinburgh Philos. J. 11: 344 (1824).

Family: Combretaceae

Synonyms

• Combretum hispidum M.A.Lawson (1824),
• Combretum dolichopetalum Engl. & Diels (1899),
• Combretum rhodanthum Engl. & Diels (1899).

Origin and geographic distribution

Combretum comosum occurs from Senegal east to southern Sudan and south to Uganda and Angola.

Uses

In Nigeria a root decoction is taken in traditional medicine to treat stomach-ache, diarrhoea, gastric ulcers, various other gastrointestinal disorders and liver complaints. The leaves are applied to burns and skin infections; in decoction they are taken as a purgative. In Gabon a root decoction is drunk to treat cough. In Ghana an infusion of the roots and leafy stems is administered to cattle with stomach disorders.

The flowers are pink or red and showy and the plant is worthy to be planted as an ornamental.

Properties

Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the root showed the presence of tannins and saponins.

An ethanolic root bark extract (100 mg/kg) showed a significant anti-hepatotoxic effect of paracetamol-induced liver intoxication and caused a reduction in histopathological changes in the liver when administered orally in mice. A methanolic root extract significantly inhibited carrageenin-induced mouse paw oedema in a dose-dependent manner after oral treatment. The anti-inflammatory activity of the chloroform extract against croton-oil induced mouse ear oedema was significant and dose-dependent. Different root extracts significantly decreased blood glucose level (17% after 8 h) in alloxan-induced hyperglycaemia of male albino Wistar rats. An ethanolic root extract induced a dose-dependent relaxation effect on isolated guinea pig ileum, and also inhibited contractile responses of the ileum to histamine and acetylcholine. The extract possessed significant dose-dependent anti-ulcer activity in experimentally-induced acute gastric ulcers.

An ethanolic root extract (intraperitoneally administered) showed significant and dose-dependent trypanocidal activity in rats against Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma congolense. The LD₅₀ was 246 mg/kg. An aqueous root extract showed significant antibacterial activity. A leaf extract showed significant molluscicidal activity against the freshwater snail Bulinus globulus. Different leaf extracts exhibited low antileishmanial activity in vitro.

Description

Climbing shrub or large liana; all parts covered with short hairs or glabrous. Leaves opposite or in whorls of 3, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole up to 1 cm long; blade ovate-elliptical to elliptical-obovate, up to c. 21 cm × c. 11 cm, base cordate, apex acuminate, pinnately veined with 6–10 pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence a terminal and axillary, elongated false raceme, formed by the suppression of leaves, 10–35 cm long, with few gland-tipped hairs. Flowers bisexual, regular, 5-merous, pink to bright red, scented; receptacle consisting of 2 parts, green to reddish, slightly short-hairy, lower part 5–7 mm long, upper part funnel-shaped, 4–6(–10) mm × 3(–5) mm; sepals triangular, c. 1 mm long; petals oblong-elliptical, 6–8(–13) mm × 2(–3) mm, stamens 10, 15(–20) mm long, free, greenish to red; ovary inferior, 1-celled, style short. Fruit a 5-winged nut, elliptical to broadly circular-elliptical in outline, 2.2–3 cm in diameter, pale red, slightly short-hairy, stipe up to 10 mm long, 1-seeded. Seedling with hypogeal germination.

Other botanical information

Combretum is a very large genus, comprising about 250 species distributed worldwide in the tropics and subtropics. About 140 species occur in tropical Africa. Several other Combretum spp. are used medicinally in West Africa.

Combretum lecardii

Combretum lecardii Engl. & Diels occurs from Senegal east to Benin, in savanna. In Togo the stems and leaves together with the roots of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (Lam.) Zepern. & Timler are burnt and the ash is eaten with food to help the expulsion of the afterbirth. A leaf decoction is drunk to treat cough, stomach-ache and as a sedative of the mind. The stem bark is used as rope.

Combretum tomentosum

Combretum tomentosum G.Don occurs from Senegal to Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso in dry forest. In Senegal a maceration of the roots is taken to treat cough. In Burkina Faso leaves are put in baths to strengthen children and old people. In Gambia the fruits are eaten. The stem bark is used for basketry and fish traps, and the wood is used as firewood.

Growth and development

Combretum comosum flowers and fruits throughout the year, but especially from December to March.

Ecology

Combretum comosum occurs in rain forest, deciduous forest, riverine forest as well as in secondary regrowth, from sea-level up to 1200 m altitude.

Genetic resources

Combretum comosum has a large area of distribution and is relatively common. It is therefore not threatened by genetic erosion.

Prospects

Combretum comosum is widely used in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal problems. Some pharmacological research has confirmed this use. However, very little information concerning its phytochemistry is available and more research is warranted.

Major references

• 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.

• Udem, S.C., Madubunyi, I., Asuzu, I.U. & Anika, S.M., 1996. The trypanocidal action of the root extract of Combretum dolichopetalum. Fitoterapia 67(1): 31–37.

• Udem, S.C., Madubunyi, I.I., Okoye, J.O.A. & Anika, S.M., 1997. Anti-hepatotoxic effects of the ethanolic extracts of Combretum dolichopetalum root bark and Morinda lucida leaf. Fitoterapia 68(1): 21–25.

• 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.

Other references

• Adjanohoun, E.J., Ahyi, M.R.A., Aké Assi, L., Akpagana, K., Chibon, P., El-Adji, A., Eymé, J., Garba, M., Gassita, J.N., Gbeassor, M., Goudote, E., Guinko, S., Hodouto, K.K., Houngnon P., Keita, A., Keoula, Y., Hodouto, W.P., Issa Lo, Siamevi, K.M. & Taffame, K.K., 1986. Contributions aux études ethnobotaniques et floristiques au Togo. Médecine Traditionelle et Pharmacopée. Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique, Paris, France. 671 pp.

• Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (Editors), 2006. Flore analytique du Bénin. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, Netherlands. 1034 pp.

• Anaga, A. & Asuzu, I.U., 2008. Screening of some medicinal plants for hypoglycaemic activity. Tropical Veterinarian 26(3–4): 1–8.

• Arbonnier, M., 2004. Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD, Margraf Publishers Gmbh, MNHN, Paris, France. 573 pp.

• Asuzu, I.U. & Adimorah, R.I., 1998. The anti-inflammatory activity of extracts from the root of Combretum dolichopetalum. Phytomedicine 5(1): 25–28.

• Asuzu, I.U. & Njoku, J.C., 1992. The pharmacological properties of the ethanolic root extract of Combretum dolichopetalum. Phytotherapy Research 6(3): 125–128.

• Asuzu, I.U. & Onu, O.U., 1990. Anti-ulcer activity of the ethanolic extract of Combretum dolichopetalum root. International Journal of Crude Drug Research 28(1): 27–32.

• Burkill, H.M., 2000. The useful plants of West Tropical Africa. 2nd Edition. Volume 5, Families S–Z, Addenda. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, United Kingdom. 686 pp.

• Lamidi, M., DiGiorgio, C., Delmas, F., Favel, A., Mve-Mba, C.E., Rondi, M.L., Ollivier, E., Nze-Ekekang, L. & Balansard, G., 2005. In vitro cytotoxic, antileishmanial and antifungal activities of ethnopharmacologically selected Gabonese plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 102: 185-190.

Author(s)

• E.N. Matu, CTMDR/KEMRI, P.O. Box 54840–00200, Nairobi, Kenya

Correct citation of this article

Matu, E.N., 2011. Combretum comosum G.Don. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 31 March 2025.

• See the Prota4U database.