Evaluation of hemostatic activity of latex from three Euphorbiaceae species

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Latices from several plant species of Euphorbiaceae family have been traditionally applied over fresh cuts to stop bleeding and subsequently applied over wounds to enhance healing process. The latex arrested bleeding from fresh wounds by reducing bleeding and whole blood coagulation time which are important indices of hemostatic activity. It has been accepted that hemostatic activity is due to the proteolytic fraction of plant latices. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the clot inducing properties of three Euphorbiaceae plants viz., Euphorbia nivulia Buch.-Ham., Pedilanthus tithymaloides (L.) Poit and Synadenium grantii Hook F.

Materials and methods

In the present study, various proteolytic activities namely protease, gelatinase, milk clotting and whole blood clotting assay of the enzyme fraction of latices of Euphorbia nivulia, Pedilanthus tithymaloides and Synadenium grantii have been investigated. The inhibition profile of protease specific inhibitors was assessed. Also, the effects of protein fractions were studied using bleeding/clotting time test of fresh experimentally-induced wounds in mice.

Results

Euphorbia nivulia latex protease has noticeable blood clotting activity followed by Pedilanthus tithymaloides and Synadenium grantii. Stem latex protease of Pedilanthus tithymaloides exhibits superior procoagulant activity in different mammal's blood samples viz., Capra hircus, Bubalus bubalis, Ovibos moschatus and Bos indicus. Blood sample of ox was the most sensitive to latex protease than other mammal's blood. Concomitantly, the plant latex protease could significantly reduce whole blood clotting time of human and mice blood samples.

Conclusion

The protease fraction of latices of Euphorbia nivulia, Pedilanthus tithymaloides and Synadenium grantii possesses phytoconstituents capable of arresting wound bleeding, and accelerating whole blood coagulation process. It suggests good potentiality for use of latex proteases in wound management. Also, the finding of this study showed that the protease enzyme of Pedilanthus tithymaloides has the most potent hemostatic agent.