The latex of Euphorbia tirucalli inhibits staphyloxanthin production and protects Tenebrio molitor larvae against Staphylococcus aureus infection

• Published in: Natural product research Vol. 34; no. 24; pp. 3536 - 3539
• Main Authors: Colasso, Arthur Henrique Mendes, Barros, Thayná Fernandes, Figueiredo, Isabella Fernandes da Silva, Carvalho Junior, Alexsander Rodrigues, Fernandes, Elizabeth Soares, Uchoa, Michelle Russo Bendelak, da Silva, Luís Cláudio Nascimento
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 16-12-2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; bacterial infections; Disease Models, Animal; Euphorbia - chemistry; Euphorbia tirucalli; haemocytes; Hemocytes; Hemocytes - drug effects; In vivo methods and tests; Infections; Larva - drug effects; Larva - microbiology; Larvae; Latex; Latex - pharmacology; Lethal dose; Penicillin; Reduction; Staphylococcal Infections - drug therapy; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Staphylococcus aureus - pathogenicity; Tenebrio - microbiology; Tenebrio molitor; Virulence; Virulence factors; Virulence Factors - metabolism; Xanthophylls - metabolism; bacterial infections; Virulence factors; haemocytes
• ISSN: 1478-6419; 1478-6427
• DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2019.1582036

The latex of Euphorbia tirucalli L. (LET) has great etnopharmacological relevance for several traditional communities. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo (using Tenebrio molitor larvae) antimicrobial effects of LET were evaluated. LET did not inhibit the growth of S. aureus, however, a reduction on staphyloxanthin production (an important virulence factor of S. aureus) was observed. LET (at 10 μL/kg) was also able to enhance the survival of larvae infected with a lethal dose of S. aureus, an effect associated with reduction in the numbers of haemocytes. Furthermore, haemocytes from LET-treated larvae exhibited dysfunctional lysosome activity. These results indicate the effectiveness of LET as an anti-infective agent which could be useful as source of lead molecules for the development of new therapies against S. aureus-induced infections.