In vitro screening of cytotoxic activity of euphol from Euphorbia tirucalli on a large panel of human cancer‑derived cell lines

Silva,Viviane Aline Oliveira; Rosa,Marcela Nunes; Tansini,Aline; Oliveira,Renato   J.S.; Martinho,Olga; Lima,João Paulo; Pianowski,Luiz F.; Reis,Rui M.

doi:10.3892/etm.2018.6244

In vitro screening of cytotoxic activity of euphol from Euphorbia tirucalli on a large panel of human cancer‑derived cell lines

Authors:
- Viviane Aline Oliveira Silva
- Marcela Nunes Rosa
- Aline Tansini
- Renato J.S. Oliveira
- Olga Martinho
- João Paulo Lima
- Luiz F. Pianowski
- Rui M. Reis
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Affiliations: Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, SP 14784 400, Brazil, Medical Oncology Department, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, SP 01509‑010, Brazil, Kyolab Laboratório de Pesquisa Farmacêutica Ltda, Valinhos, SP 13273‑105, Brazil
Published online on: May 31, 2018 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2018.6244
Pages: 557-566
Copyright: © Silva et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

A large number of classic antineoplastic agents are derived from plants. Euphorbia tirucalli L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a subtropical and tropical plant, used in Brazilian folk medicine against many diseases, including cancer, yet little is known about its true anticancer properties. The present study evaluated the antitumor effect of the tetracyclic triterpene alcohol, euphol, the main constituent of E. tirucalli in a panel of 73 human cancer lines from 15 tumor types. The biological effect of euphol in pancreatic cells was also assessed. The combination index was further used to explore euphol interactions with standard drugs. Euphol showed a cytotoxicity effect against several cancer cell lines (IC50 range, 1.41‑38.89 µM), particularly in esophageal squamous cell (11.08 µM) and pancreatic carcinoma cells (6.84 µM), followed by prostate, melanoma, and colon cancer. Cytotoxicity effects were seen in all cancer cell lines, with more than half deemed highly sensitive. Euphol inhibited proliferation, motility and colony formation in pancreatic cancer cells. Importantly, euphol exhibited synergistic interactions with gemcitabine and paclitaxel in pancreatic and esophageal cell lines, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this study constitutes the largest in vitro screening of euphol efficacy on cancer cell lines and revealed its in vitro anti‑cancer properties, particularly in pancreatic and esophageal cell lines, suggesting that euphol, either as a single agent or in combination with conventional chemotherapy, is a potential anti‑cancer drug.

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