Phytosterols from the stem bark of Combretum fragrans

Abstract

Combretum fragrans F. Hoffm belongs to the Combretaceae (Combretum) family. The plant grows in wooded or bushy grassland [1]. The powdered bark is used for the treatment of wounds, diarrhoea, syphilis and gonorrhoea [2] and also in fungal, bacterial and inflammatory conditions [3-4]. Only limited pharmacological studies have been carried out on the plant. Methanolic extracts of C. fragrans significantly reduced the activity of the enzyme neuraminidase from Clostridium chauvoei in a dose dependent fashion [5]. There are no reports of any compounds isolated from the plan