Why do Euphorbiaceae tick as medicinal plants? A review of Euphorbiaceae family and its medicinal features
Loading...
Date
2011
Authors
Mwine, T. Julius
Damme, Van Patrick
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academic Journals
Abstract
Euphorbiaceae is among the large flowering plant families consisting of a wide variety of vegetative
forms some of which are plants of great importance. Its classification and chemistry have of late been
subjects of interest possibly because of the wide variety of chemical composition of its members, many
of which are poisonous but useful. In this review, we have tried to demonstrate why Euphorbiaceae are
important medicinal plants. Two important issues have come up. The worldwide distribution of the
family exposes its members, to all sorts of habitats to which they must adapt, therefore inducing a large
variety of chemicals (secondary substances) that are employed for survival/defense. Succulence and
the CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) pathway that characterize a good number of its members were
quoted as some of the adaptations that aid colonization and survival to achieve this induction. We have
also found out that medicinal properties of some of its species may be due to stress factors that
characterize most habitats of the family. Varying stress factors like temperature, salinity, drought and
others were seen to operate in tandem with genetic factors such as gene expression and mutation
loads to bring about synthesis of a wide assemblage of secondary substances that may probably be
responsible for the family’s medicinal nature. It was concluded that the family is a good starting point
for the search for plant-based medicines.
Description
Keywords
Medicinal plants, Euphorbiaceae tick, Medicinal features, Bio-synthesis, Stress physiology, Secondary metabolites
Citation
Mwine, J.T. and Van Damme, P., 2011. Why do Euphorbiaceae tick as medicinal plants? A review of Euphorbiaceae family and its medicinal features. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 5(5), pp.652-662.