Combretum micranthum (PROTA)

Plant Resources of Tropical Africa Introduction

List of species

General importance
Geographic coverage Africa
Geographic coverage World
Fruit
Stimulant
Dye / tannin
Essential oil / exudate
Medicinal
Timber
Fuel
Forage / feed
Auxiliary plant
Fibre
Food security
Climate change

Combretum micranthum G.Don

distribution in Africa (wild)

1, flowering branch; 2, fruit. Redrawn and adapted by J.M. de Vries

Protologue: Edinburgh Philos. J. 11: 347 (1824).

Family: Combretaceae

Chromosome number: 26

Vernacular names

• Kinkeliba, bush tea (En).
• Vrai kinkéliba (Fr).

Origin and geographic distribution

Combretum micranthum is widespread in the savanna zone of West Africa.

Uses

The leaves, and to a lesser extent the stem bark and roots, of Combretum micranthum are used to treat a wide variety of ailments. It is listed in the African Pharmacopoeia, the Ghana Herbal Pharmacopoeia, and the product ‘Hepatisane’ is listed in the Therapeutic Guidelines of the Ministry of Health in Mali. The leaves are official in the French, Spanish and British Pharmacopoeia as cholagogue and antipyretic. Throughout West Africa the leaves are well-known for their diuretic, astringent, febrifugal and digestive properties. A bitter leaf infusion is commonly drunk as a general tonic (‘bush tea’), and further to treat coughs, bronchitis, malaria, bilious fever, diabetes and all ailments of the liver and gall bladder. It is also taken to treat venereal diseases and stomach problems, including dyspepsia and colic, and to prevent vomiting. It is also taken to control weight. A leaf decoction, in vapour baths or washes, is used to treat fever and lumbago. The leaves are also widely used in association with other plants to treat the diseases mentioned above, as well as beriberi and leprosy. In Senegal a leaf infusion with salt is taken to treat swollen feet. A leaf infusion is drunk with a lot of sugar to treat too much salt in the body.

Crushed leaves and bark powder are applied to sores and wounds. Powdered bark with palm oil or shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertn.) is applied as a massage to contusions and sprains. A decoction of the fresh or dried roots is taken to treat intestinal worms, venereal diseases, fever, headache and liver ailments. It is also used to wash sores and wounds. In Nigeria the root is taken as an antidote to drug habits. The dried powdered fruits are made into an ointment with oil, which is applied to suppurating swellings and abscesses, also of venereal origin, and applied to eye infections.

Combretum micranthum is a good browse plant for cattle and is important as forage in the dry season in Nigeria. In Senegal it seems to be browsed only by donkeys, sheep and goats, not much by cattle. The leaves, stems and root bark are a source of yellow to brownish yellow dyes for textiles and mats. In northern Nigeria the tough and pliable stems are split and made into large baskets, which are often smeared inside and out with cow dung and used to store grain or to hold fowl. The stem bark is made into rope. The wood is very hard and used as firewood and to make charcoal. The bark is also used as firewood. The stems are used for the interior center part of a thatch roof and to make walking sticks, stools, beds, tool handles and bows. In Niger the gum from the bark is marketed. The seeds taste like groundnuts and are commonly eaten by children. The flowers are much visited by bees.

Production and international trade

Leaves, and to a lesser extent stem bark and roots, of Combretum micranthum are widely sold in local markets for a variety of diseases. In Mali powdered plant parts are sold in the form of tea bags to treat liver problems and diarrhoea.

In Mali in 2003 production for local consumption was estimated at 1,139 t. In 2011 leaves are for sale as health tea through the internet at prices ranging from US$ 4 (50 g) to US$ 73 (1 kg).

Properties

Several flavonoids have been isolated from the leaves, including orientin (luteolin-8-C-glucoside), homoorientin (luteolin-6-C-glucoside), myricetin-3-O-glucoside and myricetin-3-O-rutinoside, as well as the C-glycosylflavones vitexine and isovitexin and several flavane derivatives. The leaves contain a high amount of total phenols (13–14%), including gallic acid, rutin trihydrate, catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin and benzoic acid. From the leaves a mixture of stereoisomers of the alkaloid betonicine has been isolated, called combetine (0.1%). However, the presence of combetine is disputed by some authors, and instead the presence of stachydrine and hydrostachydrine was confirmed. Another series of alkaloids was isolated from the leaves, called kinkeloids A–D, having a rare flavan-piperidine skeleton. From the leaves several fatty acids were isolated, including palmitic acid (37.8%) and oleic and linolenic acids (together about 18%), potassium nitrate, tannins, the triterpenoids lupeol and α-amyrin, the sugar alcohols sorbitol and inositol, the amine choline and the sterol β-sitosterol were isolated.

The alkaline auto-oxidation products of the methanolic leaf extract showed significant anti-herpes simplex virus-1 and -2 activities in vitro. Extracts from fresh leaves were inactive. Different root extracts showed highly significant antibacterial activity against a range of pathogenic bacteria and antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The ethanol extract and different fractions of the leaves, as well as a stem bark extract also showed significant in vitro antimicrobial activities. A fresh ethanolic leaf extract showed moderate antiprotozoal activity in vitro against the chloroquine resistant FcB1-Colombia strain and chloroquine sensitive F32-Tanzania strain. The IC50 was 33,05 μg/ml. Dried leaves showed very low anti-malarial activity in vitro. A methanolic leaf extract showed significant acaricidal activity against Tetranychus urticae. Different leaf and stem bark extracts showed significant antioxidant activities in vitro; root extracts were slightly less active. The kinkeloid alkaloids were found to be responsible for the anti-oxidant activities.

A methanol extract of the leaves showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in rats and mice using the carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and the acetic acid-induced vascular permeability in mice. An aqueous leaf extract was administered to normal glucose loaded, subdiabetic and diabetic rats. Of the doses tested, 100 mg/kg of the extract was the most effective, producing a significant hypoglycaemic activity. Epicatechin and the kinkeloid fractions were identified as the glucose-lowering compounds. An alcohol-water extract from the leaves caused a dose-dependent decrease in blood pressure in the anaesthetized rat and in isolated organs. A water extract from the leaves showed moderate wound-healing activity.

Description

Compact deciduous shrub or small tree with long arching branches, 2–4(–10) m high or liana up to 20 m long; stem up to 10 cm in diameter; bark pale grey; slash orange to reddish; stems with bark peeling in long fibrous strips, red-brown. Leaves opposite or in whorls of 3, simple and entire; stipules absent; petiole up to 9 mm long; blade elliptical to ovate, 5–11 cm × 2–7 cm, apex short-acuminate, base rounded, with brown scales beneath, pinnately veined with 4–6 pairs of lateral veins; young leaves with many conspicuous scales, hairy on the midrib and often also on the main lateral nerves, margin ciliate, lateral veins prominent. Inflorescence a spike 3–5 cm long in the axil of a leaf of the same season, rachis with hairs and scales. Flowers bisexual, regular, 4-merous, sessile; receptacle consisting of 2 parts, lower part c. 2 mm long, upper part wider than deep, c. 2.5 mm in diameter; sepals triangular, tiny; petals free, obovate to spoon-shaped, c. 1.5 mm long, glabrous, cream-coloured; stamens 8, free, c. 3 mm long, filaments cream-coloured; ovary inferior, 1-celled, style up to 2.5 mm long, hairy to almost glabrous. Fruit a 4-winged nut, broadly ovoid to nearly orbicular in outline, 1.2–1.5 cm in diameter, with 3–5 mm long stipe and c. 7 mm broad wings, reddish brown, indehiscent, 1-seeded. Seedling with hypogeal germination.

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.

Growth and development

Flowering of Combretum micranthum occurs during the second half of the dry season, usually before or during the appearance of the first leaves.

Ecology

Combretum micranthum occurs in dry, often degraded savanna, on stony and gravelly soils, outcrops and termite hills, often following streambeds, from sea-level up to 1000 m altitude. It is locally common to even dominant, and an indicator of poor soils. Combretum micranthum is an indicator species of ‘tiger’ bush in the Sahel. It is drought and fire resistant.

Propagation and planting

Combretum micranthum can be propagated by seed, wildlings, cuttings and layering. The seeds must be removed from the fruits before storage or planting. Average 1000 seed weight is 27.2 g.

Diseases and pests

The roots of Combretum micranthum are highly susceptible to termite attack.

Harvesting

The leaves, stem bark and roots of Combretum micranthum can be harvested whenever the need arises.

Handling after harvest

The leaves, stem bark and roots can be used fresh or dried and stored in airtight containers for later use.

Genetic resources and breeding

Combretum micranthum is widespread and common throughout its area of distribution and not in danger of genetic erosion.

Prospects

Combretum micranthum is an important medicinal plant in West Africa. Pharmacological tests confirm some of its traditional uses, e.g. strong antibacterial, hypoglycaemic and anti-inflammatory activities and moderate antimalarial activity of the leaves, but more research is needed, e.g. concerning its activity on the liver.

Major references

• Arbonnier, M., 2004. Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones. CIRAD, Margraf Publishers Gmbh, MNHN, Paris, France. 573 pp.
• Baerts, M. & Lehmann, J., 2011. Combretum micranthum. [Internet] Prelude Medicinal Plants Database. Metafro-Infosys, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium http://www.metafro.be/prelude. Accessed August 2011.
• 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.
• Chika, A. & Bello, S.O., 2010. Antihyperglycaemic activity of aqueous leaf extract of Combretum micranthum (Combretaceae) in normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 129(1): 34–37.
• Karou, D., Dicko, M.H., Sanon, S., Simpore, J. & Traore, A.S., 2003. Antimalarial activity of Sida acuta Burm.f. (Malvaceae) and Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir. (Fabaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 89(2–3): 291–294.
• Keay, R.W.J., 1954. Combretaceae. In: Keay, R.W.J. (Editor). Flora of West Tropical Africa. Volume 1, part 1. 2nd Edition. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London, United Kingdom. pp. 264–281.
• Neuwinger, H.D., 2000. African traditional medicine: a dictionary of plant use and applications. Medpharm Scientific, Stuttgart, Germany. 589 pp.
• Olajide, O.A., Makinde, J.M. & Okpako, D.T., 2003. Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory property of the extract of Combretum micranthum G. Don (Combretaceae). Inflammopharmacology 11(3): 293–298.
• Touré, A., Xu, X., Michel, T. & Bangoura, M., 2011. In-vitro antioxidant and radical scavenging of Guinean kinkeliba leaf (Combretum micranthum G. Don) extracts. Natural Product Research 25(11): 1025–1036.
• Welch, C.R., 2010. Chemistry and pharmacology of kinkéliba (Combretum micranthum), a West African medicinal plant. PhD Thesis, Medicinal Chemistry, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States. 268 pp.

Other references

• Adam, J.G., Echard, N. & Lescot, M., 1972. Plantes médicinales Hausa de l’Ader. Journal d’Agriculture Tropicale et de Botanique Appliquée 19(8–9): 259–399.
• D'Agostino, M., Biagi, C., De Feo, V., Zollo, F. & Pizza C., 1990. Flavonoids of Combretum micranthum. Fitoterapia 61(5): 477.
• Baba-Moussa, F., Nacoulma, O., Ouattara, A., Nguyen, H.P., Akpagana, K. & Bouchet, P., 1997–1998. Antibacterial activity of total aqueous extracts of Combretum micranthum, Lawsonia inermis and Waltheria indica, plants from West African pharmacopoeia. Revue de Médecines et Pharmacopées Africaines 11–12: 197–203.
• Basséne, E., Olschwang, D., Miralles, J. & Pousset, J.L., 1986. Medicinal plants of Africa. XX. Fatty acids of Combretum micranthum G. Don (kinkeliba) leaves. Herba Hungarica 25(2): 7–14.
• Basséne, E., Olschwang, D. & Pousset, J.L., 1987. African medicinal plants XXIII. Flavonoids of Combretum micranthum G. Don (kinkeliba). Plantes Médicinales et Phytothérapie 21(2): 173–176.
• Basséne, E., Olschwang, D. & Pousset, J.L., 1989. A study on the non-saponifiable part of the lipid extract of Combretum micranthum G. Don (Kinkeliba) leaves. Herba Hungarica 28(1–2): 75–79.
• Benoit, F., Valentin, A., Pelissier, Y., Diafouka, F., Marion, C., Kone-Bamba, D., Kone, M., Mallie, M., Yapo, A. & Bastide, J.M., 1996.. In vitro antimalarial activity of vegetal extracts used in west African traditional medicine. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 54(1): 67–71.
• Berhaut, J., 1974. Flore illustrée du Sénégal. Dicotylédones. Volume 2. Balanophoracées à Composées. Gouvernement du Sénégal, Ministère du Développement Rural et de l’Hydraulique, Direction des Eaux et Forêts, Dakar, Sénégal. 695 pp.
• Diallo, D., Sogn, C., Samaké, F.B., Paulsen, B.S., Michaelsen, T. E. & Keita, A., 2002. Wound healing plants in Mali, the Bamako Region: an ethnobotanical survey and complement fixation of water extracts from selected plants. Pharmaceutical Biology 40(2): 117–128.
• Ferrea, G., Canessa, A., Sampietro, F., Cruciani, M., Romussi, G. & Bassetti, D., 1993. In vitro activity of a Combretum micranthum extract against herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2. Antiviral Research 21(4): 317–325.
• Gampiné, D., 1992. Etude de la germination et des plantules de quelques essences spontanées de Combretaceae et Caesalpiniaceae au Burkina Faso. Mémoire de fin d’étude pour obtenir le diplôme d’Ingénieur, Université de Ouagadougou, Institut du Développement Rural, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 124 pp.
• Kambou, S., 1998. Bouturage de quatre espèces de Combretaceae (Combretum aculeatum, Combretum glutinosum, Combretum micranthum et Combretum nigricans). Rapport technique N° 27. Centre National de Semences Forestières, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 13 pp.
• Karim, S., 2001. Contribution à l'étude de la régération par multiplication végétative naturelle de deux Combretacées dans l'Ouest du Niger: Combretum micranthum G. Don et Guiera senegalensis J.F. Gmel: conséquences pour la gestion sylvopastorale. D.E.A. en Sciences Biologiques Appliquées, Biologie et Ecologie Végétales, Unité de Formation et de Recherches des Sciences de la Terre et de la Vie (U.F.R/SVT), Laboratoire de Botanique et Biologie végétales, Université de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 46 pp.
• Karou, D., Dicko, M.H., Simpore, J. & Traore, A.S., 2005. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of polyphenols from ethnomedicinal plants of Burkina Faso. African Journal of Biotechnology 4(8): 823–828.
• Kola, K.A., Benjamin, A.E. & Danladi, N.B., 2002. Comparative antimicrobial activities of the leaves of Combretum micranthum and C. racemosum. Global Journal of Medical Sciences 1(1): 13–17.
• Nassau, C., 1988. Etude d’une plante médicinale africaine: le kinkéliba (Combretum micranthum G. Don). PhD Thesis, Pharmacie, Université Nancy 1, Nancy, France. 64 pp.
• N’da, J.-E., 1985. Le kinkéliba: Combretum micranthum G. Don. PhD Thesis, Pharmacie, Université de Besançon, Besançon, France. 83 pp.
• Ogan, A.U., 1972. The alkaloids in the leaves of Combretum micranthum. VII. Studies of West African medicinal plants. Planta Medica 21(2): 210–217.
• Taura, D.W., Arzai, A.H. & Oyeyi, T.I., 2009. Evaluation of antimicrobial activities of Combretum micranthum L. Bayero Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 2(1): 183–185.

Sources of illustration

• Engler, A., 1899. Monographien Afrikanischer Pflanzen-Familien und - Gattungen. 3. Combretaceae - Combretum. Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, Germany. 116 pp. + 30 tables.

Author(s)

• G.H. Schmelzer, PROTA Network Office Europe, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 341, 6700 AH Wageningen, Netherlands

Correct citation of this article

Schmelzer, G.H., 2012. Combretum micranthum G.Don. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(2): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 2. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 18 December 2024.

• See this page on the Prota4U database.