Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) inactivation and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition in vitro by Combretum glutinosum perr. (Combretaceae) extract

Among the aqueous extracts of ten African medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of hepatic disease and which can inhibit hepatitis B virus antigen (HBsAg) in vitro, extracts from the leaf decoction of Combretum glutinosum proved to be the most active (100-500 ng/mL −1 ). With solvents of increasing polarity, a precipitate was isolated from the methanolic phase of this extract which contains gallic tannins and these compounds may be responsible for the effect on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)