A Review Paper on Phytochemical Screening and Pharmacological Activity of Euphorbia hirata

Anushka A. Wani, Mangathayaru Kalachaveedu, Dattaprasad Vikhe

Pravara Rural College of Pharmacy, Loni, Maharashtra, India.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: Wanianushka510@gmail.com

Abstract:

Background: Euphorbia hirta Linn, belonging to the family of Euphorbiaceae is commonly referred to as a medicinal herb due to its multiple uses in the traditional system of medicine. Objective: This review paper attempts to discuss some of the phytochemical constituents, extraction process, botanical features, and pharmacological effects of Euphorbia hirta. Methodology: The leaves of the plant were shade dried, powdered, and extracted with methanol using maceration method for 48 hours. Results: The phytochemical screening showed the presence of various biologically active chemical substances like alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, glycosides, and phenolic compounds, contributing to the medicinal properties of the plant. The biological activities contributed by these phytochemicals include antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, galactogenic, diuretic, and antifertility properties among many others. It was observed that ethanolic and aqueous extracts of E. hirta have shown significant antimicrobial activities against pathogenic microorganisms like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Additionally, the plant exhibited effective antioxidant activity and scavenged free radicals in many in vitro studies. Conclusion: Euphorbia hirta Linn proves itself to be an important medicinal plant because of its pharmacological potentials.

KEYWORDS: Euphorbia hirta, Phytochemical screening, Medicinal plant, Methanolic extract, Euphorbiaceae.

INTRODUCTION:

Several plants have been widely used in traditional medicine all over the world, to treat several diseases such as skin ulcers and warts, as well as cancer tumours and intestinal parasites ¹. Euphorbia species are one of them ². Throughout ancient history Euphorbia have been used in folk medicine to treat various medical conditions. Medicinal plants have biologically compounds which are used for treating various human diseases and also play an important role in curing. Phytochemicals which are present in plants have two categories i.e., primary and secondary metabolites. Primary metabolites involve chlorophyll, proteins sugar and amino acids whereas secondary contain terpenoids and alkaloids. Because of the presence of these secondary metabolites medicinal plants show different activities like antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammation. Primary metabolic processes such as building and maintaining plant cell are because of the primary metabolites ³. In modern medicines, plants occupy a very important place as the raw material for some important drugs. Synthetic drugs are effective in controlling different diseases but these synthetic drugs are out of reach of millions of people. It is estimated that around 70,000 plant species have been used for medicinal purposes. The herbs provide the starting material for the synthesis of conventional drugs. Medicinal plants have curative actions due to the presence of complex chemical constituents. India recognizes more than 2500 plant species having medicinal value, Sri Lanka around 1400, and Nepal around 700 ⁴.

The plant of E. hirta plays a major role in traditional medicinal system due to its wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. Keeping in minds the effects of E. hirta in curing skin ulcer and body swelling, the plant was first recorded in ‘Ling Nan Cai Yao Lu’. More than 10 books regarding the folk medicinal uses of this plant have also been recorded in China^5,6 A comprehensive and updated review is desirable to advance research on E. hirta. This review intends to provide an overview of the phytochemical screening and pharmacological actions of Euphorbia hirta.

Botanical Description:

E. hirta Linn. is a small annual, branched herb reaching up to 70 cm in height, purplish or reddish in colour with an ample amount of latex, and coated with shoot hairs. Leaves are opposite, distichous, and simple, stipules are linear, leaf blades are lanceolate, oblong serrated, long elliptic, acute apex, 3-4 cm in length and 1-1.4 cm in width, and its margin are smooth toothed. The inflorescence monoceious, an axillary or terminal cluster of flowers, is known as cyathium with several cyathia arranged into a cyme. The male and female flowers are in one involucre and both appellate. The flowers are unisexual, male flowers are sessile, bracteoles are linear, fringed, perianth is absent and possesses one stamen, female flowers have small pedicel, the perianth is rimmed, ovary is superior covered with minute hairs, 3- celled, possesses 3- styles, small and the apex is two-fold. The flowering period is usually the whole of the year. The fruit is allomorphic, pistillate, exerted, 3-lobed, truncate base covered with shoot hairs.

The seeds are oblong, 4- sided prismatic, wrinkled, and brownish pink in color, capsule 3- seeded, green, and covered with fleshy prickles, seed smooth, hard mottle crustaceous testa with a white caruncle at the top enclosing oily endosperm. The root is distinct and developed primary root (tap root system) [7-9].

Euphorbia hirata

Distribution

E. hirta is distributed throughout the hotter parts of India and Australia, often found in waste places along the roadsides ¹¹

Plant Description

E. hirta Linn. Syn; E. pilulifera Linn. Chamaesyce pilulifera Linn.¹⁰ Family: Euphorbiaceae

Vernacular Names^12-15

Awuna             Akinkodze

Bengal             Barokhervi

English            Pill---bearing spurge, asthma herb, snakeweed

Gujarat            Dudeli

Hindi               Dudhi

Indonesia         Daun biji kacang, patikan kebo

Malayalam      Nelapalai

Malaysia         Ambin janyan, kelusan, keremak susu

Marathi            Dudnali, govardhan

Orissa              Jhotikhuntian

Extraction Method:

The leaves of Euphorbia hirta were washed with clean water, shade dried, crushed and powered with electrical grinder and then the dried powdered sample. After that leaves were stored in air tight containers at room temperature for further analysis. 30gm of the powder was extracted successively with 150ml of Methanol using water bath for 48 hrs. After which the solvent was collected in petri dishes and left to dry and then the crude extracts were stored at 4°C in airtight petri plates till the analysis was performed ¹⁶.

Phytochemical Screening:

Test	Observation	Result
Test for Alkaloids:
Mayer’s test	2ml sample + Few drops of Mayer’s reagent show white or creamy precipitate	+
Wagner’s test	2ml sample + Few drops of Wagner’s reagent formation of brown reddish precipitate	+
Dragendroff’s test	2ml sample + 1-2 ml of Dragendroff’s reagent show prominent yellow precipitate	+
Test for Flavonoids:
Shinoda test	2 ml sample added with few fragments of magnesium ribbon, add dropwise sulphuric acid which show pink or creamson red colour	+
Test for Saponins:
Foam test	5ml sample with 20 ml distilled water and heat, frothing show saponins presence.	+
Test for Tannins:
Bromine water test	Sample with 2 ml bromine water show discoloration of brown	+
Ferric chloride test	Sample with drop of ferric chloride solution show blue colour presence of gallic tannins	+
Test for Glycosides:
Keller-Killani test	2ml glacial acetic acid containing drop of ferric chloride treated with sample which form brown colour ring	+
Legal Test	2ml sample taken, add pyridine and alkaline sodium nitroprusside obtain blood red colour.	+
	Test for Phenols:
Ferric chloride test	4ml Sample with few drop of alcoholic ferric chloride appearance of bluish black colour	+

Pharmacological Activities:

Antibacterial Activity:

The ethanolic extract of E. hirta inhibited the growth of the Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtili¹⁶ and aqueous and chloroform leaf extracts of E. hirta possess an antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumonia. The extract is noncytotoxic and antibacterial ¹⁷.

Anti-inflammatory Activity:

The n-hexane extract of aerial parts of E. hirta showed anti-inflammatory effects in the model of phorbolacetate-induced ear inflammation in mice. It exhibited a dose-dependent effect.^18,19

Galactogenic Activity:

The powdered E. hirta showed a galactogenic activity in guinea pigs before puberty by increasing the development of the mammary glands and induction of secretion.²⁰

Effect on Urine Output and Electrolytes:

Ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of E. hirta significantly induced diuresis in rats. The diuretic effect of the ethanol extract was significant at 6 h (for 100 mg/kg) and at 24 h (for 50 mg/kg). The water extract induced a significant increase in urine Na+, K+ and HCO3- loss. The ethanol extract (100 mg/ ml) caused a signifi cant decrease in the K+ loss whereas the water extract increased its excretion. The HCO3- urine output following the injection of both extracts was tremendously enhanced.²¹

Antioxidant Activity:

The aqueous extract of E. hirta L. showed an antioxidant effect and a free radical scavenging activity in various in vitro models like total antioxidant and total ferric reducing power determination, assay for free radical-scavenging activity using ABTS, DPPH, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. It showed maximum antioxidants and free radical scavenging activities, at 0.25 mg/ml. The free radical scavenging effect on DPPH and hydroxyl was found as 68.80 ± 5.21 and 73.36 ± 5.21%, respectively.²²

Antifertility Activity:

E. hirta at a dose of 50 mg/kg reduced the sperm motility and density of cauda epididymal and testis sperm suspension significantly, leading to 100% infertility.²³

Antifungal Activity:

An ethanolic extract of E. hirta showed an antifungal activity against plant pathogens Colletotrichum capsici, Fusarium pallidoroseum, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Phomopsis caricae-papayae, and Aspergillus niger using the paper disc diffusion technique.²⁴

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Received on 28.05.2026     Revised on 15.06.2026

Accepted on 29.06.2026   Published on 14.07.2026

Available online from July 25, 2026

Research J. Science and Tech. 2026; 18(3):319-322.

DOI: 10.52711/2349-2988.2026.00044

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