River bushwillow
Combretum erythrophyllum · Accepted scientific name
Scientific literature: Very Sparse (20 studies) · ★☆☆☆☆
River bushwillow, scientifically known as Combretum erythrophyllum, is a resilient deciduous tree native to African riverine ecosystems. Renowned for its medicinal properties, various parts of this plant are utilized in traditional healing to treat ailments ranging from digestive issues to skin inflammations, offering significant ethnobotanical value and therapeutic potential.
Names
Common Names
- bush-willow
- Bushveld Willow
- Bushveld-Willow
- River Bush Willow
- river combretum
Regional and Traditional Names
German:
- Ufer-Buschweide
Scientific Names
Accepted name
Combretum erythrophyllumSynonyms
- Terminalia erythrophylla
- Combretum glomeruliflorum var. riparium
- Combretum glomeruliflorum var. obscurum
- Combretum glomeruliflorum
- Combretum erythrophyllum var. obscurum
- Combretum lydenburgianum
- Combretum sonderi
- Combretum riparium
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Myrtales, it is classified under the family Combretaceae and the genus Combretum. Specifically, the medicinal species is known as Combretum erythrophyllum.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Myrtales | WCVP |
| Family | Combretaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Combretum | WCVP |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions within the southern part of the African continent. In South Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in both Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Moving into the Southern Africa region, it can be found growing in Botswana. The species also extends its reach into the Cape Provinces. Finally, its geographical range includes the arid landscapes of Namibia.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| South Tropical Africa | Mozambique | WCVP |
| South Tropical Africa | Zimbabwe | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Botswana | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Cape Provinces | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Namibia | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | KwaZulu-Natal | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Free State | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Eswatini | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | Northern Provinces | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Combretum erythrophyllum, possesses various parts that are utilized for their medicinal properties. The roots and the stembark are frequently harvested for their bioactive compounds, which are often employed in traditional treatments. The leaves, specifically the individual leaf structures, are also significant components used in decoctions or infusions. Additionally, the seeds represent another part of the plant that can be studied for its specific chemical profile and therapeutic potential.| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf | Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Seeds | International journal of microbiology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Stembark | Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaves | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| roots | Genome announcements (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Combretum erythrophyllum has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (-)-Combretastatin, 5-Hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone, Alkanes, Combretastatin A-1, Phenols.
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| (-)-Combretastatin | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 5-Hydroxy-7,4'-dimethoxyflavone | Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Alkanes | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Combretastatin A-1 | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Phenols | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Phytosterols | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Terpenoids | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ketones | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Combretum erythrophyllum has 6 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Apoptotic, Cytotoxic.
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antibacterial | Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | International journal of microbiology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | International journal of microbiology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Apoptotic | Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cytotoxic | Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mutagenic | Mutation research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Combretum erythrophyllum has 1 reported medicinal uses identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antibiotic resistance.
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antibiotic resistance | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Preparations
| Preparations | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze dried and finely ground leaves | Journal of ethnopharmacology (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| acetone extracts | Plants (Basel, Switzerland) (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| extracts | Mutation research (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| leaf and stembark extracts | Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| methanol extract | Journal of natural products (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| secondary metabolite extract | Scientific reports (and other 1 sources) | ★☆☆☆☆ |