Cytotoxic and Antiviral Activities of Colombian Medicinal Plant Extracts of the Euphorbia genus

Abstract

Several species of the genus Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) have been tested for their efficiency as antiviral and antitumour agents, partly based on information concerning plants that have traditionally been used as medication to treat various human diseases (Bernal & Correa 1990, Unander et al. 1995. In fact, pronounced antiviral activity has been reported in several species of the genus Euphorbia, against polio, coxsackie, and rhinoviruses (Vlietinck et al. 1986, 1995, Ninomiya et al. 1990, Unander et al. 1995. Additionally, antitumour activity against sarcoma 180 ascites, leukemia in mice, and cytotoxic activity against certain cancer cell lines has also been observed (Itokawa et al. 1989, Wu et al. 1991, Fatope et al. 1996.There seems to be increasing possibility of finding biological activity among plants with recorded medicinal uses rather than from plants randomly selected (Unander et al. 1995, Cordell 1995. Furthermore, selection of plants gives better criteria for screening programs especially in its initial phases, compared to the screening of compounds isolated and/or purified from natural products (Kusumoto et al. 1995, Cordell 1995, Baker et al. 1995.Finally, the strategy for research and in vitro evaluation of biological activity of natural products, has changed in the past few years. One of the recent developments is the highly automated bioassay screening method based on colorimetric assays, that quantify the proliferation of cell cultures (Mosmann 1983, Denizot & Lang 1986). These techniques, considered rapid and inexpensive for the evaluation of antitumour (Carmichael et al. 1987, Rubinstein et al. 1990) and antiviral activity (Weislow et al. 1989) of a large number of natural products, have also permitted the isolation and purification of biologically active principles (Cordell 1995, Baker et al. 1995.The objective of our work was to evaluate, using colorimetric assays, the in vitro antiherpetic and cytotoxic activity of some Euphorbia species that are known in Colombia, to have traditional medical uses against skin infections such as ulcers, warts, cancers, tumors, and possibly diseases of viral origin (Garcia-Barriga 1974, Perez 1975, Vasquez 1982, Bernal & Correa 1990, Piñeros et al. 1992. MATERIALS AND METHODSPlant collection -The species were collected in different municipalities of the Department of Antioquia and deposited in the herbarium of the University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. E. cotinifolia, was collected in Girardota, at a mean altitude of 350 m; a voucher specimen was deposited under the number HUA 115472. E. cestrifolia was collected in Guarne, at a mean altitude of 2,000 m; a voucher specimen was deposited under the number HUA 95065. E. tirucalli, E. arenaria, and E. pulcherrima were collected in Medellín, at a mean altitude of 450 m; voucher specimens were deposited under the numbers RC11383, HUA 55275, RC11384, respectively. The species E. heterophyla, E. cyatophora, E. graminea, E. cf. cotinifolia and Euphorbia sp. were collected in San Jerónimo, at a mean altitude of...

Cytotoxicity and potential antiviral evaluation of violacein produced by Chromobacterium violaceum

“…Various cell culture-based assays are available and can be successfully applied for the antiviral determination of synthetic or natural compounds (Vlietinck & Vanden Berghe 1998) which include visual quantitation of antiviral activity based upon the inhibition of the virus induced cytopathic effect (CPE) (Simões et al 1999, Semple et al 2001, Li et al 2002 or by less subjective measures, such as the colorimetric MTT assay (Takeuchi et al 1991, Kaneko et al 2001, Betancur-Galvis et al 2002 and fluorometric assays (Smee et al 2002).…”

“…MTT was first applied to quantify cellular proliferation (Mosmann 1983, Denizot & Lang 1986 and is now widely used for screening antitumoral (Carmichael et al 1987, Todryk et al 2001, Betancur-Galvis et al 2002, Lotfi et al 2002 and antiviral (Bedard et al 1999, Kaneko et al 2001, Takahashi et al 2001, Glatthaar-Saalmüller et al 2001 activities of a large number of natural products. This assay has several advantages: it is easy to perform, the evaluations are objective, it can be automated using a personal computer, and the cytotoxicity evaluation can be made in parallel with antiviral activity evaluation (Takeuchi et al1991).…”

Cicatrização gástrica com uso do extrato da Euphorbia Tirucalli L.: estudo em ratos

“…This leads to the proposition of this study, and the experimental model used here. However, several pharmacological properties have been demonstrated in experimental studies as its anti-bacterial effect, molucicidal, anti-herpetic, anti-mutagenic [10][11][12][13][14] .…”

“…The histopathology study adopted the H&E as a staining method, which is the standard for this type of experiment, such as studies that have adopted as probable healing derivatives the plants: Aroeira, Babaçu, Pião-roxo and passion fruit [14][15][16][17] .…”

The crude latex of Euphorbia tirucalli modulates the cytokine response of leukocytes, especially CD4+ T lymphocytes

“…Euphorbia tirucalli L., Euphorbiaceae, is commonly used in popular medicine in the Jequitinhonha River Valley, one of the poorest regions of Minas Gerais, for therapeutic purposes to treat illness and tumors (Valadares et al, 2006;Betancur-Galvis et al, 2002;Lage et al, 2009). The in vivo antitumor effect of E. tirucalli has been demonstrated (Valadares et al, 2006), although the mechanisms responsible for such effect have not been investigated.…”