Planta Med 2015; 81 - PM_203
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1565580

Anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of Euphorbia characias and bioassay-guided isolation of some flavonoids

S Ozbilgin 1, G Saltan 1, İ Suntar 2, E Akkol 2, OB Acikara 1
  • 1Ankara University Faculty of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacognosy 06100, Ankara, Turkey
  • 2Gazi University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy 06330, Ankara, Turkey

Euphorbia is the largest genus in the Euphorbiaceae family, which contains at least 2000 species [1]. Euphorbia species, containing diterpenoids, flavonoids, volatile compounds and tannins [2], are known to have cytotoxic, antitumor, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-HIV activities [3], and some of them are used in folk medicine to treat skin diseases and wounds. In this study, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of the aerial parts of Euphorbia characias L. were successively prepared and evaluated for their wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Methanol extract of E. characias herba, the most potent extract that has been identified, was fractionated by bioassay-guided fractionation, and column chromatography was used for separation. Fractions exhibiting similar chromatographic profiles were combined and tested for their activities. The fractions with the highest activity were subjected to further chromatographic separation to obtain the active compounds quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside and quercetin-3-O-arabinoside. Chemical structures of these compounds were determined by means of spectroscopy (1H, 13C and 2D NMR, MS). Isolated compounds were found to be responsible for the activity. Acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability test was used for the evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity, and linear incision and circular excision wound models were used for the evaluation of wound-healing activity.

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