Phytochemical, Antioxidant and Anti-Cancer Properties of Euphorbia tirucalli Methanolic and Aqueous Extracts
Open Access
- 8 October 2015
- journal article
- research article
- Published by MDPI AG in Antioxidants
- Vol. 4 (4), 647-661
- https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox4040647
Abstract
Euphorbia tirucalli is a succulent shrub or small tree that is native to the African continent, however, it is widely cultivated across the globe due to its use in traditional medicines to treat ailments, ranging from scorpion stings to HIV. Recent studies have identified compounds present in the latex of the plant, including a range of bi- and triterpenoids that exhibit bioactivity, including anticancer activity. This study aimed to optimize water extraction conditions for high-yield total phenolic content recovery, to prepare methanol and aqueous extracts from the aerial sections of the plant, and to test the phytochemical, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties of these extracts. Water extraction of total phenolic compounds (TPC) was optimized across a range of parameters including temperature, extraction time, and plant mass-to-solvent ratio. The water extract of the E. tirucalli powder was found to contain TPC of 34.01 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalents)/g, which was approximately half that of the methanol extract (77.33 mg GAE/g). The results of antioxidant assays showed a uniform trend, with the methanol extract’s antioxidant reducing activity exceeding that of water extracts, typically by a factor of 2:1. Regression analysis of the antioxidant assays showed the strongest correlation between extract TPC and antioxidant activity for the ABTS (2,2-azino-bis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) methods. The methanol extract also showed greater growth inhibition capacity towards the MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell line. These data suggest that further investigations are required to confirm the source of activity within the E. tirucalli leaf and stems for potential use in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Euphorbia tirucalli aqueous extract induces cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and changes in antioxidant gene expression in human leukocytesToxicology Research, 2015
- Optimization of ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions for euphol from the medicinal plant, Euphorbia tirucalli, using response surface methodologyIndustrial Crops and Products, 2015
- Optimisation of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Conditions for Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Capacity from Euphorbia tirucalli Using Response Surface MethodologyAntioxidants, 2014
- Identification of Phenolic Compounds and Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Euphorbia Tirucalli L.Antioxidants, 2014
- Effect of extraction conditions on total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities of Carica papaya leaf aqueous extractsJournal of Herbal Medicine, 2013
- Redox-Directed Cancer Therapeutics: Molecular Mechanisms and OpportunitiesAntioxidants and Redox Signaling, 2009
- Comparison of ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC assays for estimating antioxidant activity from guava fruit extractsJournal of Food Composition and Analysis, 2006
- Evaluation of antioxidant properties of pomegranate peel extract in comparison with pomegranate pulp extractFood Chemistry, 2006
- The determination of flavonoid contents in mulberry and their scavenging effects on superoxide radicalsFood Chemistry, 1999
- Latex constituents of Euphorbia candelabrum, E. grantii, E. tirucalli and Synadenium grantiiPhytochemistry, 1987