Euphorbia cactus: History
View Latest Version
Please note this is an old version of this entry, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Subjects: Oncology
Contributor:
Omer Fantoukh

Euphorbia cactus Ehrenb ex Boiss. is a plant species reported from central Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, belonging to the family of Euphorbiaceae. The plant has ethnobotanical values and is well-known for its milky latex, which has been turned into medicine to treat various ailments. 

  • Euphorbia cactus
  • phytochemicals
  • antioxidant
  • cytotoxicity

1. Introduction

Euphorbia is the third largest genus of flowering plants in the Euphorbiaceae family, with almost 2000 species distributed in tropical and subtropical climate zones. The rich morphological variability and near-cosmopolitan distribution of Euphorbia have caught attention worldwide since ancient times [1]. Euphorbia species are readily distinguishable by their specialized inflorescences and milky latex [1][2][3]. The plants of this genus are commonly used for ornamental and household purposes [4]. The genus is well known for the chemical diversity of its isoprenoid components [5]. Some plants of this genus are of great importance, and they have been used as traditional folk medicine to treat skin disease, venomous bites, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, trichiasis, as wart removers, and to treat paralysis [6].
Chemically, diterpenoids with various core frameworks such as jatrophanes, ingenanes, lathyranes, myrsinols, and tiglianes are the main components found in Euphorbia. Other reported chemical constituents were sesquiterpenoids, cerebrosides, flavonoids, phloracetophenones, steroids, and glycerols [5]. Various pharmacological properties have been reported for the genus Euphorbia including antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic effects [7][8]. The extract of latex of these plants has shown co-carcinogenic activity due to the presence of diterpene esters (tigliane and ingenane), and it has been banned from commercial uses [9][10]. However, many secondary metabolites found in the latex extract have anticarcinogenic activities [11][12].
Euphorbia cactus Ehrenb ex Boiss. (Family; Euphorbiaceae) is a perennial succulent leafless spiny shrub with 3–4 angled dark green branches mottled with radiating yellow streaks. It is widely distributed in central Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula and reaches up to 3 m high. Fruit capsules are dull red 3-angular with 8–9 × 15–16 mm in size [13]. The extract of E. cactus latex showed antileishmanial activity [14], whereas the crude methanolic extract of the whole plant has been reported to exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities [15]. Considering the pharmacological activity of E. cactus extracts, different parts of the plants need further investigation.

2. Preliminary Phytochemical Screening

The phytochemical study of ECME revealed a broad diversity of phytochemicals. The major phytochemical constituents included phenols, diterpenes, flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, terpenoids, anthocyanins, tannins, steroids, anthraquinones, carbohydrates, cerebrosides, phloracetophenones, glycerols, and alkaloids were present in the methanol extract (Table 1).
Table 1. Qualitative screening of phytoconstituents present in the methanolic extract of aerial parts of E. cactus (ECME).
Phytochemicals ECME
Phenols +++
Flavonoids ++
Diterpenes +++
Sesquiterpenoids ++
Terpenoids ++
Anthocyanins ++
Tannins ++
Steroids ++
Cerebrosides +
Anthraquinones ++
Phloracetophenones +
Glycerols +
Alkaloids +
Carbohydrates ++
Saponins -
+++ (Pesent in excess), ++ (Present significantly), + (present in traces), - (absent)

3. Antioxidant Activity

A free radical is a molecular species containing an unpaired electron and is engaged in bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, inflammation, atherosclerosis, lung damage, reperfusion injury, aging, neoplastic, and cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders [16][17]. The results of our study demonstrated that ECME exerted free radical scavenging activity in vitro models including DPPH• and FIC assays.

3.1. Free Radical Scavenging Activity (DPPH•)

DPPH• free radicals are widely used for investigating the preliminary radical scavenging effect of the plant extract [18]. Scavenging of DPPH• radical is associated with lipid peroxidation inhibition [19]. DPPH• is a substance used to test antioxidant activity [20]. Antioxidants either shift a hydrogen atom or an electron to the DPPH• and neutralize its free radical feature [21]. DPPH• test is based on the ability of stable DPPH• free radical to decolorize in the presence of antioxidants and is considered a reliable procedure for determining the action of radical scavenging [22]. Several studies in the literature have addressed the free radical scavenging activity of different Euphorbia species [23][24][25][26]. In the current study, the highest inhibition percentage was observed with ECME (89.75), followed by compound 3 (69.35) and compound 4 (62.21) at 200 µg mL−1 (Table 2). Furthermore, it was observed that ECME displayed more pronounced scavenging activity, in contrast to isolated compounds as well as BHT standard (Table 2). This result could be attributed to the synergistic effect of isolated compounds 1–4 or other minor components present in the extract.
Table 2. Free radical scavenging (DPPH•) and ferrous ion chelating (FIC) activity of ECME and isolated phytochemicals.
Sample DPPH• Radical Scavenging Ferrous Ion Chelating Activity
Concentration
(µg mL−1)		 Inhibition
(%)		 Concentration
(µg mL−1)		 Inhibition
(%)
ECME 200 89.75 ± 0.35 3000 36.12 ± 0.45
Compound 1 200 52.34 ± 0.26 3000 41.23 ± 0.26
Compound 2 200 49.12 ± 0.34 3000 53.14 ± 0.22
Compound 3 200 69.35 ± 0.24 3000 56.24 ± 0.36
Compound 4 200 62.21 ± 0.14 3000 62.45 ± 0.42
BHT 200 41.16 ± 0.36 - -
EDTA - - 3000 95.58 ± 0.45
BHT and ETDA were used as reference standards. Values were measured in triplicates and represented as mean ± SD.

3.2. Ferrous Ion Chelating Assay (FIC)

Iron is an essential metal for life and plays a crucial role in the transport of oxygen, respiration and activity of various enzymes. However, it is a highly reactive metal and catalyzes oxidative changes in proteins, lipids and other components of the cell [27]. The metal chelating capacity of ECME was determined by the ferrous ion ferrozine-Fe2+ complex formation. Ferrous ions unite with ferrozine, resulting in a red-colored complex that shows absorbance at 562 nm [28]. Chelating agents forming σ bonds with the metal are considered effective secondary antioxidants as they have the ability to decrease the redox potential and stabilize the metal ion in its oxidized form [28]. The iron-binding ability of ECME and isolated compounds 1–4 were measured as a percentage of inhibition, and compound 4 showed the highest potential (62.45%), followed by compound 3 (56.24%) and compound 2 (53.14%) at 3000 µg mL−1 concentrations (Table 2). However, ECME and compound 1 exhibited moderate effects at similar concentrations, which was not comparable to that of the EDTA reference standard.

This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/plants11050681

References

  1. Horn, J.W.; Xi, Z.; Riina, R.; Peirson, J.A.; Yang, Y.; Dorsey, B.L.; Berry, P.E.; Davis, C.C.; Wurdack, K.J. Evolutionary bursts in Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) are linked with photosynthetic pathway. Evolution 2014, 68, 3485–3504.
  2. Prenner, G.; Rudall, P.J. Comparative ontogeny of the cyathium in Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) and its allies: Exploring the organ-flower-inflorescence boundary. Am. J. Bot. 2007, 94, 1612–1629.
  3. Govaerts, R.l.; Frodin, D.G.; Radcliffe-Smith, A. World Checklist and Bibliography of Euphorbiaceae (with Pandaceae); Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Richmond, UK, 2000; Volume 2.
  4. Rizk, A.-F.M. The chemical constituents and economic plants of the Euphorbiaceae. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 1987, 94, 293–326.
  5. Ernst, M.; Nothias, L.F.; van der Hooft, J.J.J.; Silva, R.R.; Saslis-Lagoudakis, C.H.; Grace, O.M.; Martinez-Swatson, K.; Hassemer, G.; Funez, L.A.; Simonsen, H.T.; et al. Assessing Specialized Metabolite Diversity in the Cosmopolitan Plant Genus Euphorbia L. Front. Plant Sci. 2019, 10, 846.
  6. Ernst, M.; Saslis-Lagoudakis, C.H.; Grace, O.M.; Nilsson, N.; Simonsen, H.T.; Horn, J.W.; Ronsted, N. Evolutionary prediction of medicinal properties in the genus Euphorbia L. Sci. Rep. 2016, 6, 30531.
  7. Kemboi, D.; Peter, X.; Langat, M.; Tembu, J. A Review of the Ethnomedicinal Uses, Biological Activities, and Triterpenoids of Euphorbia Species. Molecules 2020, 25, 4019.
  8. Salehi, B.; Iriti, M.; Vitalini, S.; Antolak, H.; Pawlikowska, E.; Kręgiel, D.; Sharifi-Rad, J.; Oyeleye, S.I.; Ademiluyi, A.O.; Czopek, K.; et al. Euphorbia-Derived Natural Products with Potential for Use in Health Maintenance. Biomolecules 2019, 9, 337.
  9. Aya, T.; Kinoshita, T.; Imai, S.; Koizumi, S.; Mizuno, F.; Osato, T.; Satoh, C.; Oikawa, T.; Kuzumaki, N.; Ohigashi, H.; et al. Chromosome translocation and c-MYC activation by Epstein-Barr virus and Euphorbia tirucalli in B lymphocytes. Lancet 1991, 337, 1190.
  10. Fürstenberger, G.; Hecker, E. On the active principles of the Euphorbiaceae, XII. Highly unsaturated irritant diterpene esters from Euphorbia tirucalli originating from Madagascar. J. Nat. Prod. 1986, 49, 386–397.
  11. Prakash, E.; Gupta, D.K. Cytotoxic Activities of Extracts of Medicinal Plants of Euphorbiacae Family Studied on Seven Human Cancer Cell lines. Univers. J. Plant Sci. 2013, 1, 113–117.
  12. Sharma, V.; Pracheta. Anti-carcinogenic potential of Euphorbia neriifolia leaves and isolated flavonoid against N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced renal carcinogenesis in mice. Indian J. Biochem. Biophys. 2013, 50, 521–528.
  13. Fayed, A.A.; Al-Zahrani, D.A. Three New Spiny Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) Species from Western Saudi Arabia. Edinb. J. Bot. 2007, 64, 117–129.
  14. Al- Hajj, M.M.A.; Al-Shamahy, H.A.; Alkhatib, B.Y.; Moharram, B.A. In Vitro Anti-Leishmanial Activity against Cutaneous Leishmania Parasites and Preliminary Phytochemical Analysis of Four Yemeni Medicinal Plants. Univers. J. Pharm. Res. 2018, 3, 48–54.
  15. Al-Faifi, Z.I. In vitro Anticancer, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Crude Methanolic Extract of Euphorbia cactus Ehrenb Plant. Int. J. Pharmacol. 2019, 15, 907–915.
  16. Al-Hamoud, G.A.; Saud Orfali, R.; Perveen, S.; Mizuno, K.; Takeda, Y.; Nehira, T.; Masuda, K.; Sugimoto, S.; Yamano, Y.; Otsuka, H.; et al. Lasianosides A-E: New Iridoid Glucosides from the Leaves of Lasianthus verticillatus (Lour.) Merr. and Their Antioxidant Activity. Molecules 2019, 24, 3995.
  17. Diplock, A.T. Chapter 4—Antioxidants and free radical scavengers. In New Comprehensive Biochemistry; Rice-Evans, C.A., Burdon, R.H., Eds.; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1994; Volume 28, pp. 113–130.
  18. Al-Yousef, H.M.; Fantoukh, O.I.; El-Sayed, M.A.; Amina, M.; Adel, R.; Hassan, W.H.B.; Abdelaziz, S. Metabolic profiling and biological activities of the aerial parts of Micromeria imbricata Forssk. growing in Saudi Arabia. Saudi J. Biol. Sci. 2021, 28, 5609–5616.
  19. Varzaru, I.; Untea, A.E.; Saracila, M. In Vitro Antioxidant Properties of Berry Leaves and Their Inhibitory Effect on Lipid Peroxidation of Thigh Meat from Broiler Chickens. Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2020, 122, 1900384.
  20. Budi, H.S.; Pebriani, I. The Difference of Temperature and Storage Time on the Antioxidant Activity of Curcuma Ethanol Extract (Curcuma zanthorrhiza) using the DPPH. Syst. Rev. Pharm. 2020, 11, 324–331.
  21. Lopez-Martinez, L.M.; Santacruz-Ortega, H.; Navarro, R.E.; Sotelo-Mundo, R.R.; Gonzalez-Aguilar, G.A. A (1)H NMR Investigation of the Interaction between Phenolic Acids Found in Mango (Manguifera indica cv Ataulfo) and Papaya (Carica papaya cv Maradol) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) Free Radicals. PLoS ONE 2015, 10, e0140242.
  22. Bursal, E.; Aras, A.; Kilic, O.; Buldurun, K. Chemical constituent and radical scavenging antioxidant activity of Anthemis kotschyana Boiss. Nat. Prod. Res. 2020, 35, 4794–4797.
  23. Barla, A.; Ozturk, M.; Kultur, S.; Oksuz, S. Screening of antioxidant activity of three Euphorbia species from Turkey. Fitoterapia 2007, 78, 423–425.
  24. Battu, G.R.; Ethadi, S.R.; Veda Priya, G.; Swathi Priya, K.; Chandrika, K.; Venkateswara Rao, A.; Reddy, S.O. Evaluation of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Euphorbia heyneana Spreng. Asian Pac. J. Trop. Biomed. 2011, 1, S191–S194.
  25. Ben Jannet, S.; Hymery, N.; Bourgou, S.; Jdey, A.; Lachaal, M.; Magne, C.; Ksouri, R. Antioxidant and selective anticancer activities of two Euphorbia species in human acute myeloid leukemia. Biomed. Pharm. 2017, 90, 375–385.
  26. Sharma, N.; Samarakoon, K.W.; Gyawali, R.; Park, Y.-H.; Lee, S.-J.; Oh, S.J.; Lee, T.-H.; Jeong, D.K. Evaluation of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities of Euphorbia hirta ethanolic extract. Molecules 2014, 19, 14567–14581.
  27. Abdelhakim, S.; Rima, B.; Abdelouahab, B. Heavy Metals Chelating Ability and Antioxidant Activity of Phragmites australis Stems Extracts. J. Ecol. Eng. 2019, 20, 116–123.
  28. Zhou, J.; Yang, Q.; Zhu, X.; Lin, T.; Hao, D.; Xu, J. Antioxidant activities of Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum Turcz leaf extracts and their major components. PLoS ONE 2020, 15, e0234435.
More
© Text is available under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
This entry is offline, you can click here to edit this entry!
Video Production Service
Feedback