''Combretum molle'', the velvet bushwillow, is a medium to large tree species in the genus ''

Combretum ''Combretum'', the bushwillows or combretums, make up the type genus of the family Combretaceae. The genus comprises about 272 species of trees and shrubs, most of which are native to Tropics, tropical and southern Africa, about 5 to Madagascar ...

'' found in western, eastern and southern Africa. The larvae of '' Parosmodes morantii'' and '' Acalyptris molleivora'' feed on ''C. molle''. It is recorded to contain

antioxidant Antioxidants are Chemical compound, compounds that inhibit Redox, oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce Radical (chemistry), free radicals. Autoxidation leads to degradation of organic compounds, including living matter. Antioxidants ...

s such as

punicalagin Punicalagin (''Pyuni-cala-jen'') is an ellagitannin, a type of phenolic compound. It is found as alpha and beta isomers in pomegranates (''Punica granatum''), '' Terminalia catappa'', '' Terminalia myriocarpa'', and in '' Combretum molle'', the ...

, which is also found in the other Myrtale

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punica, Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have o ...

s (''Punica granatum''), a somewhat related plant. It also contains the 1alpha-hydroxycycloartenoid

saponin Saponins (Latin ''sapon'', 'soap' + ''-in'', 'one of') are bitter-tasting, usually toxic plant-derived secondary metabolites. They are organic chemicals that become foamy when agitated in water and have high molecular weight. They are present ...

s mollic acid

glucoside A glucoside is a glycoside that is chemically derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes. Th ...

and mollic acid 3β-D- xyloside. Extracts from the bark of ''C. molle'' show

antibacterial An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention ...

and

antifungal An antifungal medication, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis (thrush), serious systemic infections such as ...

as well as ''in vitro'' antiprotozoal activities. Mollic acid glucoside shows cardiovascular effects. Combretum molle, nuwe loof, b, Faerie Glen NR.jpg, Combretum molle, loof en bloeisels, Jan Celliers Park, naby.jpg, Combretum molle00.jpg,

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molle Modular lightweight load-carrying equipment, or MOLLE (pronounced ), is the current generation of load-bearing equipment used by the United States Army. MOLLE equipment uses Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS)-type webbing – rows of hea ...

Trees of Africa Flora of East Tropical Africa Flora of Northeast Tropical Africa Flora of South Tropical Africa Flora of Southern Africa Flora of West Tropical Africa Flora of West-Central Tropical Africa Plants described in 1827 Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) {{Myrtales-stub

See also

References

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