opium-antidote

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• opium-antidote

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bureava crotonoides
• Combretum parviflorum
• Combretum altum
• Combretum floribundum
• Combretum raimbaultii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Myrtales and the family Combretaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Combretum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Combretum micranthum, is found across several specific regions within West Tropical Africa. Its geographical presence includes the country of Benin, where it grows in local ecosystems. It is also distributed throughout Burkina Faso, contributing to the region's floral diversity. Furthermore, the species can be located in the Gambia and within the borders of Ghana. Finally, its range extends to Guinea-Bissau, marking its presence in the westernmost parts of the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Combretum micranthum is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons within its ecosystem. In terms of its structural growth strategy, the species is classified as a phanerophyte, specifically exhibiting characteristics consistent with both phanerophyte and nanophanerophyte designations, meaning its perennating buds are elevated well above the ground level. This growth form enables the plant to maintain a stable presence in its habitat, utilizing its perennial lifecycle to establish long-term vegetative structures that endure seasonal variations.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Combretum micranthum is characterized by a woody growth form that primarily presents as a shrub. This plant reaches an average height of approximately 4 meters and exhibits a self-supporting structure, though it can also function as a liana. It is a terrestrial species, existing independently without parasitic or epiphytic dependencies.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

liana

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Combretum micranthum is characterized by a standard C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning it utilizes the Calvin cycle to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide through the enzyme RuBisCO without the specialized carbon-concentrating mechanisms found in C4 or CAM plants. This metabolic strategy typically involves opening stomata during daylight hours to facilitate gas exchange, which influences its transpiration rates and water-use efficiency within its native habitat. Additionally, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, lacking the symbiotic relationships with diazotrophic bacteria in root nodules required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, and therefore relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium present in the soil substrate to meet its nitrogenous nutritional requirements.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Combretum micrantum is characterized by the production of seeds that exhibit significant morphological variability in terms of weight. Based on quantitative analysis, the seed mass of this species fluctuates within a specific range, with a minimum recorded mass of 0.01174 g and a maximum mass reaching up to 0.03651 g. On average, the seed mass is approximately 0.027195 g, a metric that reflects the biological investment per reproductive unit within the species.

Seed mass max:

0.03651 g

Seed mass mean:

0.027195 g

Seed mass min:

0.01174 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Combretum micranthum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of food and drug analysis
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Chemicals

Combretum micranthum has 16 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, 2,2-Dimethyl-3-[4-(acetyloxy)phenyl]-4-ethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-7-ol acetate, 3-DESHYDROXYSAPPANOL TRIMETHYL ETHER, 4-Hydroxycinnamic acid, 9,13-Di-cis-retinoic acid.

Flavonoids

1. Toxicology reports
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

2,2-Dimethyl-3-[4-(acetyloxy)phenyl]-4-ethyl-2H-1-benzopyran-7-ol acetate

1. Biotechnologia

3-DESHYDROXYSAPPANOL TRIMETHYL ETHER

1. Biotechnologia

4-Hydroxycinnamic acid

1. Biotechnologia

9,13-Di-cis-retinoic acid

1. Biotechnologia

CALCIUM

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Fatty acids

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Glyinflanin A

1. Biotechnologia

IRON

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

MAGNESIUM

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Activities

Combretum micranthum has 10 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antihypertensive.

Antioxidant

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Biotechnologia
3. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antidiabetic

1. Biotechnologia
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Analgesic

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antibacterial

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antihypertensive

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antiviral

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Anxiolytic

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Diuretic

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Hepatoprotective

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Nephroprotective

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Conditions

Combretum micranthum has 10 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Crohn's disease, Inflammatory bowel diseases, colitis, dermatitis, diuretic.

Crohn's disease

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Inflammatory bowel diseases

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Colitis

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Dermatitis

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Diuretic

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Liver diseases

1. Natural product communications

Malaria

1. Natural product communications

Nausea

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Osteoporosis

1. Toxicology reports

Ulcerative colitis

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Preparations

Combretum micranthum has 6 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Herbal tea, aqueous extracts, aqueous leaf extract, aqueous-methanol extracts, extracts obtained in refluxed dichloromethane.

Herbal tea

1. Journal of food and drug analysis

Aqueous extracts

1. Toxicology reports

Aqueous leaf extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous-methanol extracts

1. Biotechnologia

Extracts obtained in refluxed dichloromethane

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Plant leaves extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)