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Phytochemical profiling of Euphorbia dendroides L. (Euphorbiaceae) and evaluation of its antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties
Abstract
In this study, the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Euphorbia dendroides L. extract collected from the western Mediterranean coast of Egypt were investigated. Spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses enabled the identification of major bioactive compounds. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract demonstrated the highest amounts of total phenolics (168.0 mg GAE/g) and flavonoids (71.6 mg QE/g) among all examined extracts. A total of 18 polyphenolic compounds were identified by HPLC, with chlorogenic acid as the predominant phenolic acid and naringenin as the principal flavonoid. The EtOAc extract showed the most potent antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 2.24 µg/mL), exceeding that of ascorbic acid. Cytotoxic assays indicated a dose-dependent inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, with the dichloromethane (DCM) fraction being the most effective (IC₅₀ = 31.42 ± 3.35 for Caco-2, 76.86 ± 1.49 for MCF7, and 76.11 ± 1.09 µg/mL for Panc-1). The EtOAc fraction also showed considerable cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ = 90.79 ± 2.13 for Caco-2, 79.86 ± 0.6 for MCF7, and 84.3 ± 1.49 µg/mL for Panc-1). Both fractions were effective in fighting cancer, with a selectivity index value (SI) greater than 2, indicating a possible application in targeted cancer treatments. The extracts demonstrated a strong ability to kill germs, particularly the DCM fraction, which created zones of no growth up to 29 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.9 µg/mL against S. aureus. This paper presents the first study to explore the polyphenolic composition and the biological activities of E. dendroides extract from Egypt, supporting its potential application in herbal therapy medicine and the development of functional foods.
