Abstract
Many studies have reported on the use of Euphorbia species against cancer. Tinctures of Euphorbia tirucalli L., popularly known as aveloz, have been widely used in Brazilian traditional medicine to treat cancer. However, the influence of seasonal variations on the cytotoxic activity of E. tirucalli ethanolic extracts (tinctures) has not been investigated. To accomplish this in the present work, aerial parts of E. tirucalli were collected each month in an experimental garden in Rio de Janeiro City. Effects of seasonality on the in vitro cytotoxic activity of E. tirucalli were evaluated. Tinctures were prepared by maceration in ethanol 70%, and qualitative phytochemical analyses were carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC/UV/DAD). Cytotoxicity was evaluated in vitro against human lymphoma cells (Daudi) by MTT assay. The presence of triterpenes, hydrolysable tannins and flavonoids was detected in the tinctures. Tinctures prepared from plants collected seasonally showed concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against the analyzed cell line. Therefore, it can be concluded that environmental conditions based on seasonal changes did induce variability in phenolic compounds content and, hence, cytotoxic activity of aveloz on tumor cells.
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