Phytochemical analysis and evaluation of antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of Euphorbia dendroides L. (Euphorbiaceae) latex

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase properties and phytochemical constituents of the latex from Euphorbia dendroides L. (Euphorbiaceae) growing wild in Sicily. Phytochemical analysis revealed that into E. dendroides latex the triterpenoids were the most abundant among the identified compounds. Furthermore, a high content of polyphenols mainly as phenolic acids, was found. The antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties, by several in vitro assays such as DPPH, TEAC and FRAP, have been evaluated. The results showed that E. dendroides latex has significant antioxidant activity, as measured by DPPH assay (2927.01 ± 98.03 mmols of Trolox equivalent (TE)/100g FW). Reactivity towards ABTS radical cation and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values were 7580.95 ± 97.65 mmols of TE/100g FW and 4383.13 ± 95.30 lmol of TE/100g FW, respectively. The latex exhibited also significant inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity with an IC50 value of 4.46 mg/mL (C.L.¼2.002–9.947). Furthermore, Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) cytotoxicity bioassay showed that the larvae viability was significantly affected at higher concentrations than those capable to induce significant antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase effects (LD50 25 mg/mL). The results suggest that polyphenols and terpenoids can contribute significantly to antioxidant and antiacetylcholinesterase activities of E. dendroides latex.