Milky Latex Research Articles

Pollen morphology and its taxonomic significance in the genus euphorbia L. (Euphorbiaceae), from northern Pakistan: Insights for honeybees‐plant interactions

AbstractEuphorbia L. includes 2055 species with native range of this genus being cosmopolitan. In the present study, we assessed pollen morphology of 18 species of this genus occurring mostly in northern Pakistan. Pollen morphology of Euphorbia species is poorly investigated for its taxonomic significance. Here, we examined quantitative characters, including polar diameter, equatorial diameter, P/E ratio. Exine thickness, colpi length, and width were also examined. Among the qualitative characters, pollen shape, type, exine sculpturing, and aperture features were determined. The main aim of this study is to determine and investigate the foraging behavior of the honeybees that interact with Euphorbia species. The current finding will be helpful in melissopalynological analysis for developing beekeeping practices and can be used in the authentication of honey. Pollen quantitative traits applied through a multivariate analysis and diverse sampling also improve botanical and geographical characterization of a particular region. In addition, it is concluded that some palynomorphs of Euphorbia species may contain secondary compounds and can promote signs of toxicity in honeybees. However, the beekeepers wrongly correlate the fact that milky latex from Euphorbia taxa has burning and skin irritation effects on other animals, particularly humans, with honeybee deaths, which might be due to other factors. Our observations indicate with the sense that actual forage plants may not poison their pollinators and honeybees might occasionally be dead due to unidentified factors. We have suggested that beekeepers should attempt to identify the root causes for occasional bee deaths in the area.

Synthesis and characterisation of mixed oxides of Co–Ni catalyst and its application in microwave mediated synthesis of Benzo[b]Pyrans

We present an easy and sustainable procedure for the productive preparation of tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyran derivatives by means of many compounds condensation of dimedon, malononitrile and several aromatic aldehydes utilizing mixed bimetallic oxides of Co–Ni as a catalyst under microwave irradiation. Present protocol involves green synthesis of mixed Co–Ni oxide catalyst using milky latex of Euphorbia neriifolia. The prepared mixed Co and Ni oxide was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) & Brunauer-Emmett- Teller Analysis (BET). This green approach's significance is demonstrated by its one-pot synthesis, convenient without use of solvent shows good isolated yields. Multiple analytical techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are utilized to derive the structural properties. The mixed metal oxides of Co and Ni was found to be catalytically active and can be reused 12 times without significant loss of catalytic activity.

Milky Latex from Wildly Growing Euphorbia hirta with Diverse Anti-oxidant, Anti-diabetic and Anti-bacterial Activities: Chemical Profiling and in vitro Studies

Milky Latex from Wildly Growing Euphorbia hirta with Diverse Anti-oxidant, Anti-diabetic and Anti-bacterial Activities: Chemical Profiling and in vitro Studies

Phytochemistry, Pharmacognosy and Pharmacological Properties of Tabernaemontana divaricata: A Review

Tabernaemontana divaricata (Crepe Jasmine) is a perennial, evergreen plant highly valued for its medicinal properties across various traditional healing practices worldwide. It is indigenous to areas of Asia, Australia, China, Japan, India, Myanmar, and the Apocynaceae family. It usually grows to a height of 1.5–2.5 meters and has silvery gray bark that, when broken, releases milky latex. It also has lustrous, deep green leaves and white blooms. Numerous studies have identified a wide range of phytochemical components in Tabernaemontana divaricata, including enzymes, phenolic acids, flavonoids, steroids, and alkaloids. Its blooms are notable for containing chemicals such apparicine, isovoacristine, voaphylline, vobasine, tabernaemontanine, and epivoacangine. effects that include anti-infertility, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, analgesic, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-convulsant, and antibacterial properties. The goal of this review article is to give a succinct summary of Tabernaemontana divaricata's morphological traits, ethnobotanical applications, pharmacological qualities, and phytochemical makeup. It also emphasizes how crucial it is to carry out more investigation and development in order to completely investigate the therapeutic benefits that this medicinal plant may provide.

Endophytic bacterial diversity in the latex-bearing caulosphere of Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.

Rubber trees are a commercial cash crop, and the milky latex or polyisoprene they produce is the natural source of rubber. Little is known about the bacterial populations found in active zone of latex-bearing caulosphere. We employed a tailored cloud microbial bioinformatic approach for the identification and potential hypothetical ecological roles of an uncultured endophytic hidden bacterial community in the active zone of the latex-bearing caulosphere of Hevea brasiliensis. Small pieces of slivers were collected from healthy plant from the village: Belonia, South Tripura, rubber plantation in Northeastern India. These uncultured bacteria were identified using the V3-V4 hypervariable amplicon region of the 16S rDNA gene. A total of 209,586 contigs have been generated. EasyMAP Version 1.0, a cloud-based microbial bioinformatics tool with an integrated QIIME2 pipeline, was used to analyze contigs. We detected 15 phyla and 91 OTUs (operational taxonomic units). Proteobacteria (73.5%) was the most enriched phylum, followed by Firmicutes (13.8%), Bacteroidetes (5.2%), and Actinobacteria (3.2%). Ammonia oxidizers, sulfate reducers, dehalogenation, chitin degradation, nitrite reducers, and aromatic hydrocarbon degraders were the most prevalent functional categories in the active zones of caulosphere. Furthermore, Gammaproteobacteria (49.2%) and Erwinia (29.19%) were the most abundant classes and genera of endophytic bacterial communities. Thus, the presence of a substantial amount of phosphate-solubilizing Gammaproteobacteria (PSB) may stimulate growth, increase plant resilience, suppress disease, and aid in the rubber and sugar breakdown. This is the first report of microbial endophytes associated with Hevea caulosphere.

Structure and Development of Drupe in <I>Rauvolfia tetraphylla</I>l

Drupaceous fruit of Rauvolfia develops from a bicarpellary, syncarpous superior ovary. Lower half of the ovary shows incomplete fusion upto middle, while towards the terminal part both the carpels fuse completely. Fruit wall is structurally differentiated into single layered epicarp, fleshy mesocarp and' stony endocarp. Laticifers are of non-articulated type with milky latex.

Utilization of herbivore defensive latex from the weed Calotropis procera L in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and its potential application in the control of dengue vector Aedes aegypti

Milky latex produced by few and not all the plants are the treasure chest of various bioactive compounds with defensive potential against herbivores, insects and pathogens. Mankind have utilized latices in the preparation of novel plant-based therapies for centuries. Therefore, an attempt has been made to synthesis silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using AgNO3 as a precursor and latex from C. procera as a reducing agent. The surface plasmon absorption peak at 430 nm confirmed AgNPs formation. The sharp peak with narrow width illustrated the homogenous nature. The face centre cubic structure of AgNPs was confirmed by the XRD pattern. FT-IR analysis deduced that the bio-molecules in the latex of C. procera are responsible for the reduction of AgNO3 to AgNPs. Biosynthesised L-AgNPs possessed well pronounced antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae. Anti-inflammatory activity of the nanoparticle determined by membrane stabilization and proteinase inhibitory assay was found to be in dose-dependent. LC50 value of L-AgNPs was found to be 63.09 µg/mL against IV instar larvae of A. aegypti. Distinct morphological changes were observed in the mosquito larva on exposure to various concentrations of L-AgNPs.

Co(II)-Cu(II) mixed-oxide catalysts for single-step synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl-1H-imidazole derivatives under microwave irradiation.

In this study, a catalyst composite of Co-Cu was prepared from chloride-containing precursor of Co(II) and Cu(II) metals using the milky latex of the Euphorbia neriifolia plant following green principles of synthesis. The catalyst composite was characterized using XRD, EDAX, SEM, HR-TEM, FTIR, XPS and TOF-MS. The crystallinity of the mixed-oxide composite with a distorted octahedral nature was confirmed from analysis. Chemical charge analysis of the Co-Cu mixed phase based on XPS revealed Co2+ and Cu2+ oxidation states. This material was used for synthesizing 2,4,5-triaryl-1H-imidazole (TIMDZOL) derivatives. Analysis of reaction conditions revealed that EtOH : PEG at 8 : 2 ratio under microwave conditions showed better yields with less time and better reusability of the Co-Cu catalyst.

A Comprehensive Review on Euphorbiaceae lectins: Structural and Biological Perspectives.

Euphorbiaceae, also known as the spurge family, is a large group of flowering plants. Despite being tropical natives, they are now widespread. Due to its medicinal and commercial importance, this family of plants attracted a lot of attention in the scientific community. The distinctive characteristic of the family is production of milky latex, which is a rich source of several lectins, the proteins that bind carbohydrates. Although their function is unclear, they are believed to defend plants against damaging phytopathogenic microorganisms, insects, and predatory animals. Additionally, they serve as crucial metabolic regulators under a variety of stressors. Detection, separation, purification, and characterization of lectins from the Euphorbiaceae family - mostly from the latex of plants - began over 40 years ago. This effort produced over 35 original research papers that were published. However, no systematic review that compiles these published data has been presented yet. This review summarizes and describes several procedures and protocols employed for extraction and purification of lectins belonging to this family. Physicochemical properties and biological activities of the lectins, along with their medicinal and pharmacological properties, have also been analyzed. Additionally, using examples of ricin and ricin agglutinin, we have structurally analyzed characteristics of the lectin known as Ribosome Inactivating Protein Type II (RIP-Type II) that belongs to this family. We anticipate that this review article will offer a useful compendium of information on this important family of lectins, show the scientists involved in lectin research the gaps in our knowledge, and offer insights for future research.

Biotechnological application prospects of latex proteases from Apocynaceae family

Plant latex proteases from different species find applications in diverse industries ranging from food to medicine. Family Apocynaceae consists of species producing large quantities of milky latex. Latex is known to be a rich source of proteolytic enzymes or proteases. Proteases, mainly of the cysteine and occasionally serine type, have been characterized from the latices of different species of Apocynaceae. Many of these proteases have also demonstrated stability under a wide range of parameters including temperature, pH and presence of metal ions. The current review is an attempt to elucidate on latex proteases belonging to Apocynaceae family, highlighting those properties that offer potential for their large-scale applications in different industrial sectors.

Daphnanes diterpenes from the latex of Hura crepitans L. and their PKCζ-dependent anti-proliferative activity on colorectal cancer cells

Hura crepitans L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a thorn-covered tree widespread in South America, Africa and Asia which produces an irritating milky latex containing numerous secondary metabolites, notably daphnane-type diterpenes known as Protein Kinase C activators. Fractionation of a dichloromethane extract of the latex led to the isolation of five new daphnane diterpenes (1–5), along with two known analogs (6–7) including huratoxin. Huratoxin (6) and 4′,5′-epoxyhuratoxin (4) were found to exhibit significant and selective cell growth inhibition against colorectal cancer cell line Caco-2 and primary colorectal cancer cells cultured as colonoids. The underlying mechanism of 4 and 6 was further investigated revealing the involvement of PKCζ in the cytostatic activity.

Calotropis gigantea: A brief Study on Phytochemical and Pharmacological Profile

Medicinal plant is used from the ancient times as the major sources of drugs. The main fact is that, we can obtain various life-saving drugs are present, either directly in the extract form or in the modified synthetic form. Calotropis gigantea is a large shrub, gregarious, much branched and young branches covered with white, cottony hairs, contains milky latex. It is a native of India, Malaysia and China and distributed in almost all over the world, which is commonly known as “milkweed”. It is also used in Unani, Ayurveda and siddha system of medicine for many years. The hole part of this plant like flowers, leaves, bark, latex and roots are used as potential remedy for the treatment of a range of ailments. A wide range of isolated compound like alkaloids, tannins, resins, flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides and some chemical compound giganteol, α and β calotropeol, β-amyrin, giganteol and isogiganteol etc. are present in this medicinal plant. Beside these chemical compound, C. gigantea also contains some pharmacological activity: anti-asthmatic, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhoeal, hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic, etc.

Phytochemical Characterization and Antioxidant Potential of Latex Extracts of Cardiotoxic Plants - <I>Cascabela thevetia</I> (L.) Lippold and <I>Plumeria alba</I> L.

The Apocynaceae family has been noted for their traditional and conventional medicinal properties for ages. The characteristic feature of this family is the milky sap or latex that is present in almost all the species. Many of the plants belonging to this family are a rich source of important drugs and are known for their pharmacological properties. Among the pharmacological properties, the antioxidant property is one that is known to protect against many chronic diseases including heart diseases and cancer. Two plants of the family i.e., Cascabela thevetia (L.) Lippold and Plumeria alba L. have been considered in the present experiment. Globally much research work has been conducted based on the different parts of these plants but, very little data is available on the latex portion. Hence in the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the phytochemical constituents present in the plants. Further, the total phenolic and flavonoid content and their correlation with the antioxidant potential have been evaluated.

Euphorbia species latex: A comprehensive review on phytochemistry and biological activities.

The genus Euphorbia includes about 2,000 species commonly widespread in both temperate and tropical zones that contain poisonous milky juice fluid or latex. Many species have been used in traditional and complementary medicine for the treatment of various health issues such as dropsy, paralysis, deafness, wounds, warts on the skin, and amaurosis. The medicinal applications of these species have been attributed to the presence of various compounds, and most studies on Euphorbia species have focused on their latex. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge on chemical composition and biological activities of the latex from various species of the genus Euphorbia. Our aim was to explore the applications of latex extracts in the medical field and to evaluate their ethnopharmacological potential. The databases employed for data collection, are obtained through Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Scopus, from 1983 to 2022. The bibliographic data indicate that terpenoids are the most common secondary metabolites in the latex. Furthermore, the latex has interesting biological properties and pharmacological functions, including antibacterial, antioxidant, free radical scavenger, cytotoxic, tumor, anti-inflammatory, healing, hemostatic, anti-angiogenic, insecticidal, genotoxic, and mutagenic activities. However, the role of other components in the latex, such as phenolic compounds, alkaloids, saponins, and flavonoids, remains unknown, which limits the application of the latex. Future studies are required to optimize the therapeutic use of latex extracts.

Evaluation of chloroplast DNA barcoding markers to individualize Papaver somniferum for forensic intelligence purposes.

The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum L., is a forensically important plant due to the medicinal and illegal uses for the milky latex stored in the pods. This latex contains the alkaloids morphine, codeine, and thebaine that are used for their analgesic properties and/or for synthesizing other opioids. However, these compounds are highly addictive and have caused a national opioid epidemic. Two other Papaver species, P. setigerum DC. and P. bracteatum Lindl., are also of forensic interest because they pose both forensic and legal issues. They are largely uncontrolled under the Controlled Substances Act, making these species a common defense strategy. Current morphological and chemical identification methods have been moderately successful but have drawbacks. There is also a lack of sequencing data available. Therefore, exploiting the genome using chloroplast DNA barcoding markers could help to accurately identify these species of interest when plant material is taken. This study screened and assessed the genetic variation both between species and within populations of P. somniferum in nine cpDNA barcode regions (ndhF-rpl32, petA-psbJ, rpl32-trnL, rps16-trnQ, trnE-trnT, trnH-psbA, trnL-trnF, rpl16 intron, and psbE-petL). Published reference genomes from the NCBI GenBank database were aligned and compared for an initial in silico screening. Additionally, ten P. somniferum seed samples from various vendors were sequenced and compared across samples and to published reference data at the various barcode regions of interest. This study showed that the regions trnH-psbA and petA-psbJ have promise for utility in individualization for both inter- and intra-species individualization of P. somniferum.

Phytochemical Screening, GC-MS & HPLC Analysis of Decalepis arayalpathra (Joseph & Chandras) an Endangered Medicinal Plant

Decalepis arayalpathra is one of the important medicinal plants with milky latex, which grows on the exposed rocky slopes at an
 800-1200 m elevation. It is endemic to the southern region of the Western Ghats chiefly in the Agasthyamalai region of Tamil Nadu. The plant
 has been used by traditional people to treat various diseases such as peptic ulcers, cancer like affliction, skin diseases etc. The moniliform tuberous roots have special fragrance like vanilla, because the roots contain different compounds such as α-amyrin acetate, ß-sitosterol, naringenin, kaempferol and aromadendrin especially in 2-hydroxy 4-methoxy benzaldehyde (2H4MB). The present study was aimed to examine the phytochemical screening and identification of bioactive compounds of Decalepis arayalpathra by GC-MS & HPLC analysis. The phytochemical analysis was carried out by using standard methods. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed major bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, proteins, steroids, terpenoids, quinones, resins, phenols, tannins, volatile oils and other phytocompounds. FTIR analysis identified various bioactive components and those were confirmed through GC-MS analysis. 2-hydroxy 4-methoxybenzaldehyde (2H4MB) and ß-sitosterol were quantified by HPLC analysis. Further studies have to be carried out in the in-vitro multiplication, isolation and characterization of compounds to enhance the root flavouring complexes for medicinal, food and beverage industries.

Phytopharmacological review on Euphorbia thymifolia Linn

The main aim of this paper is different pharmacological activity of plant Euphorbia thymifolia L. belongs to family Euphorbiaceae. The herb used as traditional folk medicine and commonly known as laghududhikaor choti‑dudhi. The plant is annual, small branch, pubescent and contains white milky latex. The plant used in various therapeutic activity by using different solvent like ethanol, methanol, water etc. shows antimicrobial, antifungal, antiasthamatic, anticancer, antidiarrheal, laxative, antioxidant, antiviral, antidiabetic etc. the other pharmacological activity mention in given review article.

Unprecedented Insights on Chemical and Biological Significance of Euphorbia cactus Growing in Saudi Arabia.

Euphorbia cactus Ehrenb ex Boiss. is a plant species reported from central Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, belonging to the family of Euphorbiaceae. The plant has ethnobotanical values and is well-known for its milky latex, which has been turned into medicine to treat various ailments. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no literature reports available on phytochemical constituents and antiproliferative mechanism of E. cactus. In the current study, the phytochemical investigation of E. cactus methanolic extract (ECME) resulted in the isolation and characterization of four secondary metabolites, which are reported for the first time from this plant species. In addition, the results of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and ferrous ion chelating (FIC) assays expressed maximum antioxidant activity by ECME and the isolated phytochemicals. Furthermore, ECME exerted a promising antiproliferative effect against different cancer cell lines, and the A549 lung cancer cells were the most sensitive with an IC50 value of 20 µg/mL. The antiproliferative action of ECME in A549 cells was associated with cell accumulation in the G2/M phase and an increase in early and late apoptosis. In addition, RT-PCR and western blot analysis revealed that ECME decreased the anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) expression, while the expression of pro-apoptotic (Bax) and caspase-3 were increased. This study provides the first insight into the phytochemical constituents and the antiproliferative mechanism of ECME, implying that it could be exploited as a promising natural source for developing new cancer therapies. Further preclinical research is warranted to support the current results.

A Review on Euphorbia neriifolia plant

Plant having medicinal properties play a very crucial role in our environment as well as lives. Euphorbia Neriifolia is one such plant with a wealth of medicinal properties. Euphorbia neriifolia is a cactus-like tree or shrub native to Asia that is grown for ornamental and hedge purposes, as well as medicinal and botanical purposes. This plant has adapted to flourish in water-stressed environments and is drought tolerant. This plant grows to be 3-6 metres tall and produces a deadly milky white latex. The goal of the review is to (a) refresh the detailed information about the plant Euphorbia Neriifolia, chemical composition, harmful effect, and (b) to summarize the medicinal uses of Euphorbia neriifolia. (c) Macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of Euphorbia neriifolia.

Phyto-Pharmacological Profile of Wrightia tinctoria

Wrightia tinctoria is a medium sized ever green tree grows up to 18 m tall and to 20 cm which produces milky white latex from the leaves which is directly applied on inflammation. Since from ancient period this plant constantly been used as a source of medicine. This plant shows a very important component of the health care system in India. In ayurvedic system the drug activity of W.tinctoria is defined as titka, kashaya, rooksha, sita and katu. Various parts of this plant such as stem bark, leaves, flowers also seed have been known to have medicinal assets. Phytochemical studies have shown that it contains alkaloids, triterpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, phenolics, carbohydrates, lipids etc. Wrightia tinctoria has been allotted to have good analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, antiulcer, antidysentric, antidiabetic, anticancer, antipyretic activities as well as active in the treatment of psoriasis. The present review primed to describe the botanical classification, vernacular names, species, Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical Properties and pharmacological activities of the plant Wrightia tinctoria.