Combretum molle explained

Combretum molle, the velvet bushwillow, is a medium to large tree species in the genus Combretum found in western, eastern and southern Africa.

The larvae of Parosmodes morantii and Acalyptris molleivora feed on C. molle. It is recorded to contain antioxidants such as punicalagin,^[1] which is also found in the other Myrtale pomegranates (Punica granatum), a somewhat related plant. It also contains the 1alpha-hydroxycycloartenoid saponins mollic acid glucoside^[2] and mollic acid 3β-D-xyloside.^[3]

Extracts from the bark of C. molle show antibacterial and antifungal^[4] as well as in vitro antiprotozoal activities.^[1] Mollic acid glucoside shows cardiovascular effects.^[2]

See also

• List of Southern African indigenous trees and woody lianes

Notes and References

1. Asres . K. . Bucar . F. . Knauder . E. . Yardley . V. . Kendrick . H. . Croft . S. L. . 10.1002/ptr.897 . In vitro antiprotozoal activity of extract and compounds from the stem bark of Combretum molle . Phytotherapy Research . 15 . 7 . 613–617 . 2001 . 11746844. 24511496 .
2. Ojewole . J. A. . Cardiovascular effects of mollic acid glucoside, a 1alpha-hydroxycycloartenoid saponin extractive from Combretum molle R Br ex G Don (Combretaceae) leaf . Cardiovascular Journal of Africa . 19 . 3 . 128–134 . 2008 . 18568171. 3974560 .
3. Pegel . K. H. . Rogers . C. B. . 10.1039/P19850001711 . The characterisation of mollic acid 3?-D-xyloside and its genuine aglycone mollic acid, two novel 1?-hydroxycycloartenoids from combretum molle . Journal of the Chemical Society, Perkin Transactions 1 . 1711 . 1985 .
4. Asres . K. . Mazumder . A. . Bucar . F. . Antibacterial and antifungal activities of extracts of combretum molle . Ethiopian Medical Journal . 44 . 3 . 269–277 . 2006 . 17447394.