PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Látex.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Purgante.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: Chem. investigation of Euphorbia portulacoides afforded, in addn. to several known metabolites, i.e. two kauranes, three abietane lactones and four phloracetophenones, one new kaurane, four new lathyranes (I and the corresponding triacetates with a 7-isobutyrate, 7-methylbutyrate, or 7-benzoate group) and two new abietane acids related to co-occurring lactones.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone:: América del Sur. 

DIVERSIDAD GENÉTICA Y MEJORAMIENTO DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES= Medicinal plants and improvement of medicinal herbs:

A chemotaxonomic study of 12 Chilean species of the genus Euphorbia L. (E. copiapina, E. helioscopia, E. hirta, E. lactiflua, E. lathyris, E. klotzschii, E. peplus, E. platyphyllos, E. portulacoides, E. pulcherrima, E. serpens and E. thinophila) based on their flavonoid profile is reported.  Twenty two flavonoids (13 flavonols, 8 flavones and 1 flavanone) were isolated from these species using paper chromatog. and thin layer chromatog. techniques.  The identification was done by UV spectroscopy.  The phenetic relationships among species were studied using distance coeffs. and the UPGMA clustering algorithm.  This study showed a close relationship among the Chamaesyce species (E. hirta, E. klotzschii, E. serpens) forming a well defined group which is distantly related to the other species.  

1) TOURSARKISSIAN, Martín. Plantas medicinales de Argentina : sus nombres botánicos, vulgares, usos y distribución geográfica. Buenos Aires : Hemisferio Sur,1980, p.52.

2) MORGENSTEM, T., et al. Diterpenes and phloracetophenones from Euphorbia portulacoides. Phytochemistry. 1996, vol.41, nº4, p.1149-53.
 
3) AQUEVEQUE, P., et al. Chemotaxonomy of Chilean species of the genus  Euphorbia  L. based on their flavonoid profiles. Boletin de la Sociedad Chilena de Quimica. 1999, vol.44, nº1, p.61-65.