In vitro toxicity of latex, its terpenoidal fractions and isolated phorbol esters from Euphorbia umbellata (Pax) Bruyns on monocytic and melanoma cells.

In Brazil, latex from Euphorbia umbellata (African milk tree) has been increasingly used in folk medicine to treat several types of cancer, including melanoma. The effect of lyophilized latex (LL), its hydroethanolic extract (E80), triterpene (F-TRI)- and diterpene (F-DIT)-enriched fractions, along with six isolated phorbol esters from LL and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) on J774A.1, THP-1, SK-MEL-28, and B16-F10 cell line viability were evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method.