Title:Antiplasmodial and Cytotoxic Activities of two Euphorbiaceae Family
Plants, Euphorbia hirta and Euphorbia thymifolia
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Author(s): Jigna Vadalia, Jalpa Sanandia, Vaibhav Bhatt and Navin Sheth*
Affiliation:
- Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Keywords:
Euphorbia hirta, Euphorbia thymifolia, cytotoxicity, antiplasmodial, Plasmodium falciparum, anti-malarial activity.
Abstract: Background: Malaria is a major disease in developing countries, and the main issue is
its control of resistance against all available anti-malarial drugs. Our aim was to find affordable
therapy for this global problem. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antiplasmodial
and cytotoxic activities of Euphorbia hirta and Euphorbia thymifolia.
Methods: The antiplasmodial activity was evaluated against chloroquine-sensitive (MRC-2), and
chloroquine-resistant (RKL-9) strains of Plasmodium falciparum through schizont maturation inhibition
and Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) activity assays. The cytotoxicity was performed
by MTT assay on the Huh7 liver carcinoma cell line.
Results: IC50 for PfLDH activity of E. hirta and E. thymifolia methanol extract against P. faciparum
MRC-2 strain was 9.6 and 12.6 μg/mL, respectively, and against P. faciparum RKL-9 strain
was 10.2 and 11.56 μg/mL, respectively. Methanol extract of E. thymifolia showed lower IC50
(19.3 μg/mL) than methanol extract of E. hirta (24.7 μg/mL) in the MTT assay against Huh7 cell
line.
Conclusion: Both the plant methanol extracts showed a two-fold lower cytotoxic activity against
hepatocyte-derived carcinoma cell line (Huh7) compared to in vitro inhibitory activity against P.
falciparum strains (MRC-2 and RKL-9).