Euphorbia species latex: A comprehensive review on phytochemistry and biological activities

Effect of lathyrane-type diterpenoids in neural stem cell physiology: Microbial transformations, molecular docking and dynamics studies

Promoting endogenous neurogenesis for brain repair is emerging as a promising strategy to mitigate the functional impairments associated with various neurological disorders characterized by neuronal death. Diterpenes featuring tigliane, ingenane, jatrophane and lathyrane skeletons, frequently found in Euphorbia plant species, are known protein kinase C (PKC) activators and exhibit a wide variety of pharmacological properties, including the stimulation of neurogenesis. Microbial transformation of these diterpenes represents a green and sustainable methodology that offers a hitherto little explored approach to obtaining novel derivatives and exploring structure-activity relationships. In the present study, we report the biotransformation of euphoboetirane A (4) and epoxyboetirane A (5), two lathyrane diterpenoids isolated from Euphorbia boetica, by Mucor circinelloides MC NRRL3631. Our findings revealed the production of nine biotransformation products (6-14), including jatrophane derivatives originated through an unprecedented rearrangement from the parent lathyranes. The chemical structures and absolute configurations of the new compounds were elucidated through comprehensive analysis using NMR and ECD spectroscopy, as well as MS. The study evaluated how principal metabolites and their derivatives affect TGFα and NRG1 release, as well as their potential to promote proliferation or differentiation in cultures of NSC isolated from the SVZ of adult mice. In order to shed some light on the mechanisms underlying the ability of 12 as a neurogenic compound, the interactions of selected compounds with PKC δ-C1B were analyzed through molecular docking and molecular dynamics. Based on these, it clearly appears that the ability of compound 12 to form both acceptor and donor hydrogen bonds with certain amino acid residues in the enzyme pocket leads to a higher affinity compound-PKC complex, which correlates with the observed biological activity.

Evaluation of Dermal Wound Healing Potential: Phytochemical Characterization, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activities of Euphorbia guyoniana Boiss. & Reut. Latex

This study investigates the wound-healing potential of Euphorbia guyoniana latex (EGL) in male Wistar rats, along with its biochemical composition and biological activities. Phytochemical analysis identified moderate levels of phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins, with HPLC revealing five phenolic compounds. EGL demonstrated strong antioxidant activity in DPPH assays, surpassing ascorbic acid in protecting red blood cells. Its performance in the ß-carotene-linoleic acid assay was robust, though its FRAP assay results were weaker. EGL also exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity, comparable to Acetylsalicylic acid, and showed antibacterial effects against Listeria innocua. In Vivo, EGL-infused ointments accelerated wound healing, reducing epithelialization periods to 12-16 days, with a higher wound contraction rate compared to controls. The study concludes that EGL, rich in bioactive compounds, holds potential as a promising natural agent for wound healing, owing to its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties.

Seed morphology of 31 Euphorbia L. species (Euphorbiaceae) in Turkey and their taxonomic significance

This paper includes a comprehensive taxonomical study based on seed morphology of 31 Euphorbia L species from Türkiye. The studied Euphorbia taxa have been examined for morphological traits such as seed color, dimensions, surface ornamentation, cell wall structures, lipid granule presence, and caruncle shape and dimensions with Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereo microscopy to develop a better understanding of the basis of its species. The outcomes show that the species differ based on seed shape and color. The seed width dimensions are between 0.55 and 3.83 mm and the length dimensions are between 1.03 and 5.87 mm. Euphorbia lathyris, E. prostrata, and E. nutans are marked differently from the rest of the studied species based on their seed dimension. The seed surface ornamentation is classified into 12 different types: tuberculate, reticulate, areolate, colliculate, verrucate, alveolate, rugose, alveolate-reticulate, slightly reticulate, reticulate-areolate, pusticulate, and ruminate. The most common form is reticulate, found in eight species. The tuberculate (in E. helioscopia), areolate (in E. oblongata), slightly reticulate (in E. amygdaloides), and ruminate (in E. herniariifolia) ornamentation types are each characterized by only one species. The presence of lipid granules and anticlinal and periclinal cell walls disclose interspecific relationships within the examined taxa. Also, an identification key is offered for the studied species based on seed characters. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The seeds of Turkish Euphorbia species have been studied in depth. The morphological characters of seeds of Turkish Euphorbia species have been examined utilizing SEM and light microscopy for the first time and discussed the taxonomic practice of these characteristics. A dichotomous key containing seed morphological data has presented.

An Ethnobotanical Study in Kırşehir (Türkiye)

A comprehensive ethnobotanical study was carried out in the province of Kırsehir, in the Central Anatolia region. The result of that study is this publication containing information about the main traditional folk medicine, wild food plants, and other plant uses in the area. Our goal was to collect, identify, and provide information about plants traditionally used by the local population. This inquiry focused on the plant specimens obtained during field work. Data were gathered through open and semi-structured interviews conducted with local individuals, and use report (UR) values were computed. A total of 79 taxa of plants used in folk medicine, belonging to 33 families, were identified in this study. Of these, 67 taxa were wild and 12 were cultivated. The most common families were Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Rosaceae. Based on the results of this study, 77 taxa with ethnobotanical uses were recorded. The plants were used as folk medicine (45 taxa), as food (46 taxa), and for other purposes (34 taxa). This study determined that plants are still traditionally used in the region.

A Biomimetic Approach to Premyrsinane-Type Diterpenoids: Exploring Microbial Transformation to Enhance Their Chemical Diversity

Premyrsinane-type diterpenoids have been considered to originate from the cyclization of a suitable 5,6- or 6,17-epoxylathyrane precursor. Their biological activities have not been sufficiently explored to date, so the development of synthetic or microbial approaches for the preparation of new derivatives would be desirable. Epoxyboetirane A (4) is an 6,17-epoxylathyrane isolated from Euphorbia boetica in a large enough amount to be used in semi-synthesis. Transannular cyclization of 4 mediated by Cp2TiIIICl afforded premyrsinane 5 in good yield as an only diasteroisomer. To enhance the structural diversity of premyrsinanes so their potential use in neurodegenerative disorders could be explored, compound 5 was biotransformed by Mucor circinelloides NRRL3631 to give rise to hydroxylated derivatives at non-activated carbons (6-7), all of which were reported here for the first time. The structures and absolute configurations of all compounds were determined through extensive NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic studies.

Anti-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Compounds Isolated from Plants of Euphorbia Genus

Euphorbia is a large genus of the Euphorbiaceae family. Around 250 species of the Euphorbia genus have been studied chemically and pharmacologically; different compounds have been isolated from these species, especially diterpenes and triterpenes. Several reports show that several species have anti-inflammatory activity, which can be attributed to the presence of diterpenes, such as abietanes, ingenanes, and lathyranes. In addition, it was found that some diterpenes isolated from different Euphorbia species have anti-cancer activity. In this review, we included compounds isolated from species of the Euphorbia genus with anti-inflammatory or cytotoxic effects published from 2018 to September 2023. The databases used for this review were Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Springer, and Google Scholar, using the keywords Euphorbia with anti-inflammatory or cytotoxic activity. In this review, 68 studies were collected and analyzed regarding the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of 264 compounds obtained from 36 species of the Euphorbia genus. The compounds included in this review are terpenes (95%), of which 68% are diterpenes, especially of the types ingenanes, abietanes, and triterpenes (approximately 15%).

Indonesian Euphorbiaceae: Ethnobotanical Survey, In Vitro Antibacterial, Antitumour Screening and Phytochemical Analysis of Euphorbia atoto

Indonesia is among the countries with the most significant biodiversity globally. Jamu, the traditional medicine of Indonesia, predominantly uses herbal materials and is an integral component of the Indonesian healthcare system. The present study reviewed the ethnobotanical data of seven Indonesian Euphorbiaceae species, namely Euphorbia atoto, E. hypericifolia, Homalanthus giganteus, Macaranga tanarius, Mallotus mollissimus, M. rufidulus, and Shirakiopsis indica, based on the RISTOJA database and other literature sources. An antimicrobial screening of the plant extracts was performed in 15 microorganisms using the disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods, and the antiproliferative effects were examined in drug-sensitive Colo 205 and resistant Colo 320 cells by the MTT assay. The antimicrobial testing showed a high potency of M. tanarius, H. giganteus, M. rufidulus, S. indica, and E. atoto extracts (MIC = 12.5-500 µg/mL) against different bacteria. In the antitumour screening, remarkable activities (IC50 0.23-2.60 µg/mL) were demonstrated for the extracts of H. giganteus, M. rufidulus, S. indica, and E. atoto against Colo 205 cells. The n-hexane extract of E. atoto, with an IC50 value of 0.24 ± 0.06 µg/mL (Colo 205), was subjected to multistep chromatographic separation, and 24-methylene-cycloartan-3β-ol, jolkinolide E, tetra-tert-butyl-diphenyl ether, α-tocopherol, and β-sitosterol were isolated.

A Comprehensive Review on Euphorbiaceae lectins: Structural and Biological Perspectives

Euphorbiaceae, also known as the spurge family, is a large group of flowering plants. Despite being tropical natives, they are now widespread. Due to its medicinal and commercial importance, this family of plants attracted a lot of attention in the scientific community. The distinctive characteristic of the family is production of milky latex, which is a rich source of several lectins, the proteins that bind carbohydrates. Although their function is unclear, they are believed to defend plants against damaging phytopathogenic microorganisms, insects, and predatory animals. Additionally, they serve as crucial metabolic regulators under a variety of stressors. Detection, separation, purification, and characterization of lectins from the Euphorbiaceae family - mostly from the latex of plants - began over 40 years ago. This effort produced over 35 original research papers that were published. However, no systematic review that compiles these published data has been presented yet. This review summarizes and describes several procedures and protocols employed for extraction and purification of lectins belonging to this family. Physicochemical properties and biological activities of the lectins, along with their medicinal and pharmacological properties, have also been analyzed. Additionally, using examples of ricin and ricin agglutinin, we have structurally analyzed characteristics of the lectin known as Ribosome Inactivating Protein Type II (RIP-Type II) that belongs to this family. We anticipate that this review article will offer a useful compendium of information on this important family of lectins, show the scientists involved in lectin research the gaps in our knowledge, and offer insights for future research.

Medicinal Plants Used for Eye Conditions in Mexico-A Review

Medicinal plants have been historically significant for treating common human diseases in Mexico. Although some ethnobotanical research exists, limited ethnomedicinal data has documented medicinal plants employed for eye health. This review focuses on ethnomedicinal information and preclinical and clinical studies regarding medicinal plants used in Mexico for treating symptoms associated with eye conditions. An electronic database search was conducted by consulting scientific articles, books about Mexican herbal medicine, and academic theses. This work recorded 69 plant species belonging to 26 plant families, especially plants from the Crassulaceae family, which are used as remedies for irritation and infections in the eye. Eight of these medicinal plants have been the subject of preclinical studies using ocular models, and one medicinal plant has been tested in clinical trials. The evidence of pharmacological effects indicates the promising therapeutic potential of these medicinal plants for developing new treatments for eye conditions. However, toxicological studies are necessary to ensure safe application to the eye, particularly as traditional medicine continues to be relied upon worldwide. In addition, this review highlights the need to perform ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies in Mexico regarding the medicinal flora used as remedies for eye conditions.

Cytotoxicity, anti-diabeticity, and phytocomposition investigation of Vietnamese Euphorbia tithymaloides Linn. (Euphorbiaceae)

In this study, the aerial parts of mature Vietnamese Euphorbia tithymaloides plants were put through cytotoxic, anti-diabetic, and phytocompositional evaluations. Specifically, four extracts (petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EA), methanol (Me), and aqueous (W)) were prepared by maceration at room temperature. All extracts, together with some isolated compounds, were investigated for cytotoxicity against some human normal and cancer cell lines (fibroblasts, HeLa, NCI-H460, HepG2, MCF-7, and Jurkat) using the standardized modified sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. Additionally, the anti-diabetic activity of extracts and compounds was evaluated via their α-glucosidase inhibitory capacity. The obtained results indicated that Vietnamese E. tithymaloides extracts exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity, among which the PE extract possessed the highest values, on the NCI-H460 cell line. Second, the aqueous extract was revealed to possess very high α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 113.75 ± 14.02 μg ml-1). From the PE extract, three new jatrophane diterpenoids (named tithymal A, tithymal B, and tithymal C) and two known ones were isolated and structurally elucidated using NMR and MS spectroscopies. Noticeably, tithymal A exhibited significantly high inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase (IC50 = 10.71 ± 0.52 μg ml-1). These observations have significantly highlighted the medicinal potential of Vietnamese E. tithymaloides and expanded its scientific fascination.

Discovery of two ent-atisane diterpenoid lactones with AChE inhibitory activity from the roots of Euphorbia fischeriana

Euphorlactone A (1), a rare rearranged ent-atisane norditerpenoid with an undescribed 3-nor-2,4-olide-ent-atisane scaffold, and euphorlactone B (2), a new ent-atisane diterpenoid with an unprecedented seven-membered lactone ring C, were isolated from the roots of Euphorbia fischeriana. Their planar structures with absolute configurations were extensively elucidated by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, Rh2(OCOCF3)4-induced ECD curves, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Euphorlactone A (ELA) showed a remarkable AChE (acetylcholinesterase) inhibitory activity (IC50 = 2.13 ± 0.06 μM and Ki = 0.058 μM), which was five times stronger than that of the positive control (rivastigmine, IC50 = 12.46 ± 0.82 μM), and further in vitro enzyme inhibition kinetic analysis and molecular docking studies were performed to investigate the AChE inhibitory mechanism.

Anti-inflammatory lanostane triterpenoids with rearranged spirobi[indene] scaffold and their biogenetically related analogues from Euphorbia maculata

Phytochemical investigations on the ethanol extract of the whole plant of Euphorbia maculata Linn. Resulted in the identification of 16 lanostane-related triterpenoids, including 11 undescribed ones, namely spiromaculatols A-C (1-3) and euphomaculatoids A-H (4-11). The structural determinations of the previously undescribed ones (1-11) were elucidated based on the interpretation of comprehensive spectroscopic data, quantum chemical calculation, as well as X-ray crystallographic experiments. Spiromaculatols A-C (1-3) possess a rare spirobi [indane] skeleton, which was biosynthetically derived from the 7 (8 → 9)-abeo bond migration of lanostane precursors. The biological activity of compounds 1-3, 5, 7, and 12-13 displayed inhibitory effect on the release of NO in an LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells model. Molecular mechanism study indicated that the most potent spiromaculatol C (3) can reduce the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 and decrease the transcriptional expressions of its downstream pro-inflammatory mediators.

Revisiting the Flora of Saudi Arabia: Phytochemical and Biological Investigation of the Endangered Plant Species Euphorbia saudiarabica

Euphorbia plants have a significant place in traditional medicine due to their numerous therapeutic properties, including their anti-tumor effects, which have been observed in several species. In the current study, a phytochemical investigation of Euphorbia saudiarabica methanolic extract led to the isolation and characterization of four secondary metabolites from the chloroform (CHCl₃) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions, which are reported for the first time in this species. One of the constituents, saudiarabicain F (2), is a rare C-19 oxidized ingol-type diterpenoid that has not been previously reported. The structures of these compounds were determined by extensive spectroscopic (HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR) analyses. The anticancer properties of the E. saudiarabica crude extract, its fractions and its isolated compounds were examined against several cancer cells. The active fractions were evaluated for their effects on cell-cycle progression and apoptosis induction using flow cytometry. Furthermore, RT-PCR was employed to estimate the gene-expression levels of the apoptosis-related genes. It was demonstrated that the E. saudiarabica CHCl₃ and EtOAc fractions suppressed the proliferation of the cancer cells. The MCF-7 cells were the most sensitive to both fractions, with IC₅₀ values of 22.6 and 23.2 µg/mL, respectively. Notably, both fractions caused cell-cycle arrest in the G2/M phase of the treated MCF-7 cells. The inhibition of the MCF-7 cells' proliferation was also linked with apoptosis induction by flow-cytometry analysis. Additionally, the activation of apoptosis by both fractions was demonstrated by an increase in the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2, with an increase in the expression of caspase-7. Among the isolated compounds, glutinol (1) showed potent activity against the MCF-7 cell line, with an IC₅₀ value of 9.83 µg/mL. Our findings suggest that E. saudiarabica has apoptosis-inducing effects and shows promise as a potential source of new chemotherapeutic drugs.

Keeping Healthy in Your Skin-Plants and Fungi Used by Indigenous Himalayan Communities to Treat Dermatological Ailments

Dermatological ailments are a major health problem, especially when related to human immune deficiency syndrome and acquired immune deficiency. The goal of this study was to identify the medicinal plants used by the indigenous peoples of the Northwestern Himalayas to treat dermatological diseases. Several field trips were conducted in the spring and summer seasons of 2020-2021 to collect the plants of dermatological value and information about their use through open-ended semi-structured interviews (n = 53) and group discussions (n = 33). The current investigation found 64 ethnomedicinal plants belonging to 34 families commonly used to treat a variety of dermatological ailments. The main growth form was herbs (80%), followed by trees (8%) and ferns (6%). It was found that leaves (51%) were the most commonly used plant part, followed by roots and the whole plant. Wound healing was the most dominant application, with 18 plant species used, followed by skin burns cured by 11 plant species and skin boils by eight plant species. Out of the total (18%) of medicinal plants with cosmetic uses, i.e., roots of Jurinea dolomiaea, Rheum webbianum, and Rheum spiciforme were crushed into powder and mixed with turmeric, and the paste is applied topically for glowing skin. Among the various preparation methods, paste (38%) was the most common way of preparation, followed by poultice (29%) and infusion (9%). Between ethnic groups, the maximum homogeneity was between Gujjar and Bakarwal ethnic groups (23 species, 36%), followed by Gujjars and Kashmiri (14 species, 22%). Bakarwals and Gujjar people live in the same geographical location, and they graze their animals in pastures, practice extensive transhumance pastoralism, and pass through different ecological landscapes, thus having sufficient experiences with certain plants and retaining more knowledge. The species identified with the highest utilization based on the number of citations and use value included Ficus carica, Cichorium intybus, Euphorbia wallichii, Pinus wallichiana, Plantago major, Jurinea dolomiaea, and Artemisia absinthium. The findings of this study demonstrate that people who reside in the Northwestern Himalayas region still rely on medicinal plants.

Euphorbia neriifolia (Indian Spurge Tree): A Plant of Multiple Biological and Pharmacological Activities

Although India has a well-established and growing economy surrounding synthetic drug chemistry with an antibiotic base, a large part of the population, especially in forested villages and tribal belts, is relying solely on plant-derived drugs. This is due to a lower number of side effects, low chances of resistance development against pathogenic microorganisms, as well as the diversity and affordability of such drugs. In the Indian subcontinents, Euphorbia neriifolia Linn. (EN) is one of the valuable plants from the big family of Euphorbiaceae, which is usually found in rocky and hilly areas. E. neriifolia was found to be useful in curing tumors, abdominal swelling, bronchial infection, hydrophobia, earache, cough and cold, asthma, leprosy, gonorrhea, spleen enlargement, leucoderma, snake bites, scorpion stings, and causing appetite improvement, etc. Different in vitro and in vivo experimental studies were performed to determine the antioxidant, anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, wound healing, anti-atherosclerosis, radioprotective, anti-anxiety, anti-convulsant, anti-psychotic, anti-thrombotic, dermal irritation, hemolytic, analgesic, anti-fertility, diuretic, anti-microbial, anti-diarrheal, and anti-carcinogenic activities of the various parts of EN. Several bioactive compounds, such as euphol, nerifoliol, taraxerol, euphonerins A–G, lectin, etc., were isolated from E. neriifolia and need to be investigated further for various biological activities (cardiovascular and neuronal diseases). In the pharmaceutical sector, E. neriifolia was selected for the development of new drugs due to its broad pharmacological activities. Therefore, in the present review, distribution, classification, morphological and microscopical description, phytochemical investigation, pharmacological activities, medicinal uses, harmful effects, and their treatment were evaluated, especially against different lifestyle-related diseases.

Bioactive Secondary Plant Metabolites from Euphorbia umbellata (PAX) BRUYNS (Euphorbiaceae)

The species Euphorbia umbellata has been used to treat inflammatory diseases, cancer, and ulcers. Biological activities reported in the literature, including antiproliferative, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory, are attributed to the chemical constituents present in its composition as terpenes and polyphenolic compounds. The most recurrently verified metabolites in the Euphorbiaceae family plant species are terpenes, of which euphol is a major constituent with broadly reported cytotoxic, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects; it frequently appears in various extracts obtained from the plant. Euphol has a documented inhibitory effect on neutrophil chemotaxis and can modulate the complement system. Since complement system activation is intimately intertwined with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, tumor growth promotion and metastasis, plant metabolites from Euphorbia umbellata might influence the outcomes of inflammatory processes. We believe that this is the first review presenting the current knowledge on Euphorbia umbellata secondary metabolites and their biological activities.