In Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacognosy)

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INTRODUCTION
Medicinal and Economical Importance of Family
Euphorbiaceae (6)
Family Euphorbiaceae has evidently provided many plants with
economical and medicinal importance.
The following are selected examples of pronounced values:-
[A] Medicinally used plants:
1. Jatropha gossypifolia leaves are used in eczema, while the roots
are used in leprosy and snakebites (1) .
2. Entire plant of Synadenium grantii is used as CNS stimulant (1) .
3. Croton cascarilla and C. elateria bark are used as tonic (1) .
4. Euphorbium, a drug obtained from latex of Euphorbia
resinifera, is used as a purgative (1) .
5. Twig of P. reticulates and P. muellerianus were used as diuretic
in South Africa and Nigeria (1) .
6. Phyllanthus emblica syn. Emblica officinalis (Amla) is used as
diuretic, laxative, digestive, emetic, anti-inflammatory and
antiscorbutic agent in treatment of scurvy as their tannin
contents retards the oxidation of vit.C, in preparing shampoo,
in making hair dyes, ophthalmic anti-inflammatory agent and
in the treatment of colic and other abdominal illness due to the
presence of tannins and vit.C (1, 13- 14) .
7. P. niruri has positive antihepatotoxic properties (13) .
8. P. acuminatus root has antitumor properties (13) .
9. Mallotus philippensis (Kamela tree) fruits are used as cathartic,
anthelmintic and oral contraceptive (1, 13) .
10. Ricinus communis (Castor) oil is used as purgative (1) and
antidote in food poisoning (1, 13) .