Pharmacognostical Study of Combretum aculeatum Vent. Growing in Sudan

Aim of Study: Combretum aculeatum Vent is commonly used in traditional medicine but no published botanical characterization was available. Macro- and microscopical characters of the aerial parts (leaf, stem and bark) have been studied with the aim to find the diagnostic features, and pointed towards their identification in both entire and powdered form. Results: Proximate analysis like moisture contents (7.52 %), total ash (14.09%), water-soluble ash (0.7%), acid-insoluble ash (2.99%) and alcohol soluble extract (9.5%) were determined. Percentage yield of sequential extractive values of sample in petroleum ether (1.85%), methylene chloride (0.92%), ethyl acetate (2.2%) and n-butanol (1.66%) were also evaluated. Total phenolic content was found to be 2.47 µg GAE/mg (0.25%) and total flavonoid content 7.96 µg QE/mg (0.8%) of dried ethanolic extract. The phenolic and flavonoids profiles of the ethanolic extract were determined using HPLC. Luteolin, naringin and quercetin were the major identified flavonoids and ellagic acid and vanillic acid were the major identified phenolic compounds. Ethanolic extract, as well as its subfractions (petroleum ether, methylene chloride and ethylacetate/butanol) showed significant molluscicidal activity against the snails of Biomphalaria at dose of 1mg/ml and 1.2mg/ml and anthelmintic activity against Toxocara vitrurorum worm.