Planta Med 2006; 72 - P_168
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-949968

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolics from Pedilanthus tithymaloides

P Abreu 1, S Matthew 1, T González 1, 2, D Costa 3, M Segundo 3, E Fernandes 3
  • 1CQFB/REQUIMTE, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829–516 Caparica, Portugal
  • 2Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba; Cuba
  • 3REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química-Física, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Anibal Cunha 164, 4090–030, Porto, Portugal

Pedilanthus tithymaloids (L.) Poit. (Euphorbiaceae) is a low tropical American shrub with a wide range of healing properties such as emetic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiseptic, antihemorrhagic, antiviral, antitumoral, and abortive [1]. In Cuban traditional medicine, a tincture of P. tithymaloides is used as an anti-inflammatory remedy in the treatment of stomatological affections. Following a methodology of bioassay-guided fractionation using ROO·, ONOO–, ·NO, and DPPH·, the flavonoids kaempferol 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside-6''-(3'''-hydroxy-3'''-methylglutarate) (1), quercitrin (2), isoquercitrin (3), and the coumarin scopoletin were isolated from the ethanolic extract of P. tithymaloides stems and leaves. The results here presented indicate that these phenolic compounds constitute part of the active principles of the plant extract responsible for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities [2].

Acknowledgements: REQUIMTE, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, and Programme Alβan.

References: 1. Roig, J.T. (1974), Plantas Medicinales e Venenosas de Cuba, ed. Editorial Científico Tecnico, La Habana. 2. Abreu, P. et al. (2006), Life Sciences 78: 1578–1585.