IN VITRO ANTI-TUMOUR ACTIVITY OF SOME NIGERIAN EUPHORBIACEAE PLANTS

Abstract

We report results of screening of eight local Euphorbiaceae plants for in vitro anti-tumor activities involving a panel of solid tumours of human origin and the P-388 lymophocytic leukemia system. Selective cytotoxicity was observed for four of the plant species namely. Spondianthus preussii Engl. (Melanoma), Elaeophorbia drupifera (Thonn) Stapf. (lung, colon and P-388), Euphorbia deightonii Croizat (sarcoma, ssquamous cell cancer and P-388) and E. desmondi Keay and Milne-Redhead (melanoma, colon and P-388). We also report the identification of 3b-hydroxy-20 (29)-lupen-28-oic acid as a major anti-tumor constituent (ED=24mg/ml) of stem bark of S. preussii. This work provides further evidence for the use of some Euphorbiaceae plants in traditional medicine.


Key Words: Euphorbia species, Spondianthus preussii, Euphorbiaceae, anti-tumour activity, Betulinic acid.


Nig. J. Nat Prod. And Med. Vol.4 2000: 82-84