Cytotoxic Activity and Metabolic Profiling of Fifteen Euphorbia Species

Abstract

Euphorbia is a large genus of flowering plants with a great diversity in metabolic pattern. Testing the cytotoxic potential of fifteen Euphorbia species revealed highest activity of E. officinarum L. against human colon adenocarcinoma (CACO2) cell line (IC50 7.2 µM) and of E. lactea Haw. against human hepatoma (HepG2) and human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines (IC50 5.2 and 5.1 µM, respectively). Additionally, metabolic profiling of the fifteen tested species, using LC-HRMS, for dereplication purposes, led to the annotation of 44 natural compounds. Among the annotated compounds, diterpenoids represent the major class. Dereplication approach and multivariate data analysis are adopted in order to annotate the compounds responsible for the detected cytotoxic activity. Results of Principle component analysis (PCA) come in a great accordance with results of biological testing, which emphasized the cytotoxic properties of E. lactea Haw. A similarity correlation network showed that the two compounds with the molecular formula C16H18O8 and C20H30O10, are responsible for cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines. Similarly, the compound with molecular formula C18H35NO correlates with cytotoxic activity against CACO2.

Prevalence of Diterpenes in Essential Oil of Euphorbia mauritanica L.: Detailed Chemical Profile, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Phytotoxic Activities

“…The major constituents of this genus were isoprenoid metabolites, which encompass several classes of terpenes and steroids, as well as different polyphenolic compounds [4,5] . Euphorbia species showed several biological activities as antimicrobial, vascular relaxant, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antiproliferative, and a modulator of multi‐drug resistant cancer cells [4,6] . The chemical profile of EOs, extracted from several Euphorbia species by different methods as steam‐distillation, hydrodistillation, and microwave‐assisted extraction, have been investigated and revealed the presence of mono‐ and sesquiterpenes as main constituents, which showed various biological activities [8] …”

Flavonoids from the Genus Euphorbia: Isolation, Structure, Pharmacological Activities and Structure–Activity Relationships

“…In addition, similar studies have shown that the extract of E. lactea displayed anticancer and anti-migratory activities toward cellosaurus (HN22) cells [95]. It was also observed that the extracts of E. officinarum and E. royleana showed significant activities against human colon cancer adenocarcinoma cell lines (Caco-2) [51]. This was the first assay on the cytotoxicity of E. officinarum against these cancer cell lines.…”

“…Among the investigated species, E. lunulata (number of isolated flavonoids (n) = 33) [26,47], E. humifusa (n = 11) [48], E. hirta (n = 10) [49] and E. tirucalli (n = 8) [50] were frequently investigated species, with E. lunulata [26,47] recording the highest number of isolated flavonoids (n = 33). In contrast, E. mygdaloides [51], E. paralias [52], E. stenoclada [53], E. altotibetic [51,54], E. allepica [51,55] and E. magalanta [51] were the least-investigated species, having the least number of isolated flavonoids (n = 1). Others include E. helioscopia (n = 7) [56], E. lathyris (n = 3) [57], E. humifusa [58], E. ebracteolata (n = 4) [59] and E. lunulata [60].…”

“…Phytochemical analysis of 15 Euphorbia species revealed the presence of flavonoids from the methanol aerial extracts [51]. The plant extracts were evaluated for their in vitro anticancer properties against human liver cancer (HepG-2) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines.…”

Anti-trypanosomal activity and DNA fingerprinting of fifteen Euphorbia species using ISSR and SCoT markers

“…Euphorbia genus contained a wide variety of terpenoids, ranging from mono-, sesqui-, and diterpenes to triterpenoids and steroids [24]. Metabolic profiling of 15 Euphorbia species, using LC-HRMS, annotated of 44 natural compounds [11].…”