Analysis of toxic effects of Avelos (Euphorbia tirucalli L.)

Abstract

Euphorbia tirucalli L. or Aveloz is a succulent plant, the genus Euphorbia, commonly found in warmer regions, and throughout Brazil, largely been used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases, such as warts, asthma, cough, pain ear, neuralgia, rheumatism, and in  some countries, against toothache. Recently, this plant has been popularly used in fighting tumors, raising the interest of researchers in the field so it can be safely used in the adjunctive treatment of cancers. The purpose of this literature review is to show that Avelós, despite being a plant, presents risks when consumed without the knowledge of its effects in the body. Some recent researches show that low doses of latex diluted from this plant has the potential antitumor in cell culture because in vitro it was shown to be able to change genes that signal tumorigenic processes. However, the latex extracted from all parts of the plant has high toxicity, it is extremely caustic and, at low concentrations, it has been tested in several different organisms having the ability to change the morphology and inflammatory response in cell cultures and in mice however, in lower organisms, it presented genotoxic. According to this study, it was found that at low concentrations the diluted latex consumption does not cause toxic effects in higher organisms; in vitro testing it has shown great potential in the future, it is used as an aid for the treatment of several cancers, but points out that its consumption without knowledge, is very dangerous, because they are not yet elucidated all the effects, mechanisms of action and safe doses consumption.