Around the world, gardens employ the shrub Christ thorn, also called Euphorbia Milii (Euphorbia Splendens), as an attractive or beautiful plant. E. milii is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including skin ulcers, intestinal parasites, respiratory infections, body and skin irritations, inflammatory diseases, body pains, microbiological ailments, and snake and scorpion bites. The pharmacological action of E. milii extracts also includes anti-inflammatory, anti-helminthic, anti-cancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antinociceptive, antioxidant, and molluscicidal properties. This article contains reports on the morphology, toxicity, phytochemical components, and pharmacology of E. Milii. This study's goal is to provide a basic understanding of the Euphorbia Milii plant by compiling the data from previous research on the species.
Around the world, gardens employ the shrub Christ thorn, also called Euphorbia Milii (Euphorbia Splendens), as an attractive or beautiful plant. E. milii is used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including skin ulcers, intestinal parasites, respiratory infections, body and skin irritations, inflammatory diseases, body pains, microbiological ailments, and snake and scorpion bites. The pharmacological action of E. milii extracts also includes anti-inflammatory, anti-helminthic, anti-cancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antinociceptive, antioxidant, and molluscicidal properties. This article contains reports on the morphology, toxicity, phytochemical components, and pharmacology of E. Milii. This study's goal is to provide a basic understanding of the Euphorbia Milii plant by compiling the data from previous research on the species.
The Euphorbiaceae Family includes Euphorbia Milii, also referred to as the crown of thorns. It was known as Euphorbia Splendens before being renamed Euphorbia Milii. " Originally from Madagascar, this shrub is also called "Songosongo" in its original tongue. Later, it was introduced to the middle class as a decorative houseplant. The Euphorbia genus has long been used to cure a variety of ailments, including skin ulcers, intestinal parasites, respiratory infections, body and skin irritations, inflammatory diseases, body aches, microbiological illnesses, and snake and scorpion stings. It is a woody, succulent shrub with a strongly spiked stalk and oval-shaped, developing green leaves. Red, pink, and white are just a few of the colours of tiny flowers hidden in petals. Euphorbia Milii is used for decorative, medicinal, and pest-control purposes. Euphorbia is recommended by the WHO for snail management in pest control. In medicine, it is used to treat cancer, warts, and hepatitis.
Its antifungal, antinociceptive, and molluscicidal properties have also been reported.
Euphorbia Milii has a variety of chemical components, including alkaloids, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, phlorotannin’s, coumarin, phenolic compounds, and saponins.
Domain |
Eukaryota |
Kingdom |
Plantae |
Class |
Dicotyledons |
Order |
Malpighiales |
Family |
Euphorbiaceae |
Genus |
Euphorbia |
Species |
Euphorbia Milii |
The "songosongo" plant, also known as Euphorbia Milii or crown of thorns, is indigenous to Madagascar. It is a woody succulent prickly shrub that reaches a height of 1.5 to 2 meters (5-7 feet). The spines become straight and narrow when they reach a length of 3 cm. The oblong, acute-shaped, fleshy green leaves can reach lengths of 3-3.5 cm and widths of 1.5 cm. These tiny, cup-shaped flowers, which range in hue from red to pink to white, are hung in two petal-like brats and measure up to 12 mm. Since euphorbia thrives in warmer temperatures, it produces flowers throughout the year but especially in the spring and summer. Reference. [1&2]
The shrub's white sap is dangerous because it irritates the skin and eyes when it comes into contact with them. Ingestion of the sap results in vomiting, severe stomach pain, and irritation of the mouth and throat. Although it is marginally toxic to humans, it is detrimental to domestic animals. It is discovered that "phorbol esters" are the toxic component of euphorbia. Reference. [1&2]
Figure 1: Euphorbia Milii Figure 2: Thorns of euphorbia milii
Pharmcological Activity:
Figure 2: pharmacological activities of Euphorbia milii
Anti Inflammatory:
In a rat model of carrageen-induced paw oedema, Walla A. Negm, Engy Elekhnawy, Fatma A. Mokhtar, Reem binsuwaidan, Sarah Ibrahim, Duaa Eliwa, Nashwa G.M. Attalah, Sally Abdallah Mostafa, and Ehsan Moglod found that the aerial portion of Euphorbia Milii ethanolic extract exhibited anti-inflammatory activity. They discovered that EMEE lowers inflammation by blocking the COX-2 signalling pathway mediated by MAPK. published the paper in February 2024, 105568, in the "Arabian Journal of Chemistry," volume 17, issue 2. Reference. [4]
A study on the anti-helminthic properties of a methanolic extract of Euphorbia Milii leaves was carried out by Shaik Sonia Nazimi and Dr. Mondi Sandya Rani. They used earthworms and a methanolic extract of Euphorbia to compare the anti-helminthic activity's efficacy. M and the common drug albendazole, where the methanolic extract demonstrated a considerable amount of anti-helminthic action and verified its existence. 25 August 2023, article published in the "Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry" JPP 2023; 12(5):202-204. Reference. [5]
The researchers MD. Sohel Ahmed, Jai dev, Kirti Goel, Moniksa Saini, Samrat Chauhan, Narinder Kaur, and Shalini Shrivastav conducted an anti-oxidant assay using Euphorbia Milii extract and a standard. They came to the conclusion that the leaf and flower extract of Euphorbia Milii exhibits anti-oxidant activity due to the presence of a high flavonoid and phenolic content. This article was published in the "Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences" in April 2023, number 11(2). Reference. [6]
Using A375 human melanoma cell lines and a methanolic extract of Euphorbia Milii leaves, Sajeev Kumar Giri, Priyanka S. Jamade, Balaji Pendakur, Sanjotha.G, Sudheer Manwadi, Sandeep V. Binorkar, Nagineni Sudharshan Rao, and Sharan gouda J. Patil performed an MTT test. confirmed that the ethanolic leaf extract of Euphorbia Milii had anticancer properties. The article appeared in the June 2024 issue of the African Journal of Biological Sciences, volume 6. Reference. [7]
According to the findings of a study article published in 2023 by Amal Z. Hassan, Heba-tollah M. Sweelam, Kamel H. Shaker, Moustafa M. Zubair, Warda E. Ashour, and Howaida I. Abd-Alla, the methanolic extract of Euphorbia Milii aerial parts has demonstrated anti-microbial activity. The high concentration of polyphenols (flavonoids) and ethyl acetate in the methanolic extract makes it more effective against the infections. Because of this, harmful microbes like fungus and bacteria are slowed down in their growth. Egyptian Journal of Chemistry, Volume 66, Issue 1, pages 461–473. Reference. [8]
In 2015, a study on the antinociceptive, muscle relaxant, and sedative properties of Euphorbia Milii was published by Nazar ul Islam, Ibrahim Khan, Abdur Rauf, Naveed Muhammad, Muhammad Sahid, and Mohammad Raza Shah. They claimed that while crude Euphorbia Milii exhibited some of these properties, the gold nanoparticles made from the methanolic extract of the aerial portions of Euphorbia Milii exhibited strong antinociceptive, muscle-relaxant, and sedative properties. Article: BMC Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2015) 15:160. Reference. [9]
Molluscicidal:
The molluscicidal effect of Euphorbia Milii latex on snails serving as intermediate hosts was assessed by Schall et al. in 1998.
These are also having an impact on B. glabrata embryos and egg masses. They used standardised methods from the World Health Organisation to assess a 90% lethal dosage of molluscicides produced from plants.
In 2005, Buguorn Sermsart, Somphong Sripochang, Thongdee Suvajeejarun, and Rachada Kiatfuengfoo conducted study on the assessment of molluscicidal activity in the Euphorbia Milii hybrids employing snails.
These snails are exposed to the Euphorbia Milii hybrids' latex for 24 hours at a concentration of around 22 parts per million. The Southern East Journal of Trop Med Public Health, vol. 36 (supply 4) 2005, reported that the majority of snails withdrew within their shells and perished, indicating the presence of molluscicidal activity in Euphorbia Milii. Reference. [10]
S. No |
Part Used and Extract |
Cheimcals Constituents |
Authors & Years |
Journal |
1. |
Stem, thorn, and ethanol extract. |
Steroids/phytosterols, anthocyanin and betacyanin, terpenoids, flavonoids, and tannins, as well as total antioxidant and DPPH free radical scavenging activity. |
R. Haleshappa et al. 2020. |
Asian Journal of Biological Sciences. |
2. |
Leaves and methanol extract. |
Saponins, flavonoids, and tannins. |
Dia UI Aulia, et al., 2023. |
Journal Biologi Tropis. |
3. |
leaves and stems & methanolic extract |
urease, ?-glucosidase, carbonic anhydrase II, and xanthine oxidase |
Saud Bawazeer, et.al.2023. |
International journal of health sciences. |
4. |
Leaves and methanolic extract. |
Glycosides, alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, phenols, and saponins. |
Sanjeev Kumar Giri, et al. 2024 |
African journal of biological sciences. |
5. |
Ornamental parts of leaves and methanol extract. |
Phenols, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and terpenoids. |
Sandeep V. Binorkar, et al. 2024. |
African journal of biological sciences. |
6. |
Latex, aerial parts, root, stem, bark, leaves, and ethanol extract. |
Quercitrin, coumaric acid, caffeic acid. |
Sonakshi S. Srivastava, et al. 2024. |
International & peer-Reviewed journal. |
7. |
Leaves, latex, aerial and root, flowers, and methanol extract. |
Alkaloids, phenolic compounds, carbohydrates, amino acids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, anthraquinones, and tannins. |
Rajamani Rajeswari, et al. 2024. |
Advance pharmaceutical journal. |
This review on pharmacology and phytochemical of Euphorbia Milii has concluded that Euphorbia Milii commonly known as Christ thorn not only used as a decorative plant but has many pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-helminthic, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and mollusciscidal activities and so on. Also traditionaly known for treating snake bites, itches, skin rashes and heals wounds by using the white sap secreted through the stem. Based on this review we got a conclusion that the leaves, aerial parts, roots, and flowers consist the phytochemical such as alkaloids, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, steroids, tannins, amino acids, flavonoids anthraquinones, phenolic compounds, terpenoids and saponins etc. and there are some studies yet to be done on the Euphorbia Milii. There is more to learn about these plants and their properties and handlings. vast number of plants and shrubs are present in the nature such as Euphorbia which have rich medicinal uses, if possible, they can replace the synthetic medicines for all types of diseases with natural drugs.
REFERENCES
D. Sushma*, Vadlamanu Priyanka, Bikkannagari Hari Vardhan, Jellala Pranitha, Hanumadri Nithin, Kulla Manga, Exploring The Impact of Euphorbia Milii in The Medicine: A Comprehensive Review, Int. J. of Pharm. Sci., 2024, Vol 2, Issue 12, 3320-3324. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14566462