<i>Euphorbia</i>-Derived Natural Products with Potential for Use in Health Maintenance
Bahare Salehi,
Marcello Iriti,
Sara Vitalini,
Hubert Antolak,
Ewelina Pawlikowska,
Dorota Kręgiel,
Javad Sharifi-Rad,
Sunday I. Oyeleye,
Adedayo O. Ademiluyi,
Katarzyna Czopek,
Mariola Staniak,
Luísa Custódio,
Ericsson Coy-Barrera,
Antonio Segura-Carretero,
María de la Luz Cádiz-Gurrea,
Raffaele Capasso,
William C. Cho,
Ana M. L. Seca
Affiliations
Bahare Salehi
Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam 44340847, Iran
Marcello Iriti
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Milan State University, via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
Sara Vitalini
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Milan State University, via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
Hubert Antolak
Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, Wolczanska 171/173, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Ewelina Pawlikowska
Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, Wolczanska 171/173, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Dorota Kręgiel
Institute of Fermentation Technology and Microbiology, Lodz University of Technology, Wolczanska 171/173, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Javad Sharifi-Rad
Zabol Medicinal Plants Research Center, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol 61615-585, Iran
Sunday I. Oyeleye
Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure 340252, Nigeria
Adedayo O. Ademiluyi
Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure 340252, Nigeria
Katarzyna Czopek
Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Mariola Staniak
Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Luísa Custódio
Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Building 7, Campus of Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Ericsson Coy-Barrera
Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Campus Nueva Granada, Cajicá 250247, Colombia
Antonio Segura-Carretero
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
María de la Luz Cádiz-Gurrea
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Avda. Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
Raffaele Capasso
Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy
William C. Cho
Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
Ana M. L. Seca
cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/ Azorean Biodiversity Group & University of Azores, Rua Mãe de Deus, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Euphorbia genus (Euphorbiaceae family), which is the third largest genus of angiosperm plants comprising ca. 2000 recognized species, is used all over the world in traditional medicine, especially in the traditional Chinese medicine. Members of this taxa are promptly recognizable by their specialized inflorescences and latex. In this review, an overview of Euphorbia-derived natural products such as essential oils, extracts, and pure compounds, active in a broad range of biological activities, and with potential usages in health maintenance, is described. The chemical composition of essential oils from Euphorbia species revealed the presence of more than 80 phytochemicals, mainly oxygenated sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons, while Euphorbia extracts contain secondary metabolites such as sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, sterols, flavonoids, and other polyphenols. The extracts and secondary metabolites from Euphorbia plants may act as active principles of medicines for the treatment of many human ailments, mainly inflammation, cancer, and microbial infections. Besides, Euphorbia-derived products have great potential as a source of bioactive extracts and pure compounds, which can be used to promote longevity with more health.
