Bioactive potential of Euphorbia tirucalli L. extracts: Antioxidant, cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activities

Abstract

The aerial part and rootsof E. tirucalli L. plant extracts collected in petroleum ether (Pet.ether), CHCl3 and CH3OH were examined for antioxidant,cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities, and only the CH3OH extractof the roots showed DPPH free radical scavenging activity of 20.61, 43.06,78.13, 94.34 and 94.45% at the concentrations of 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200μg/ml, respectively, with IC50 values ​​of 2.18 μg/ml. The aerialpart showed cytotoxic effects against A. salina with LC50values ​​of 15.428, 11.286 and 5.069 μg/ml for the CHCl3 extractafter 12, 18 and 24 h, and 373.158, 28.173, 4.275 and 1.381 μg/ml for the CH3OHextract after 6, 12, 18 and 24 h of exposure, respectively. The root partshowed LC50 values ​​of 266.674, 181.992, 97.586 and 55.095 μg/mlfor petroleum ether; 136.676, 12.689, 10.705 and 6.167 μg/ml for CHCl3and 67.057, 10.717, 2.324 and 0.968 μg/ml for CH3OH extracts, allafter 6, 12, 18 and 24 h of exposure respectively. Extracts from both partswere subjected to antibacterial tests against three Gram-positive species (Bacillussubtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus gallinarum) andfour Gram-negative species (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Serratia marcescens, and Shigella sonnei). The CHCl3extracts from both parts and the CH3OH extract from the aerial partshowed activity against all bacteria tested, but the CH3OH extractfrom the roots showed activity against S. gallinarum and S.marcescens. Quantitative estimation of the inhibition zones of the extractsshowed various ranges of antibacterial activity against the bacteria tested.