Toxic effect of two common Euphorbiales latices on the freshwater snail Lymnaea acuminata.

The aqueous and serially purified latex extracts of plants Euphorbia pulcherima and Euphorbia hirta (family Euphorbiaceae) have potent molluscicidal activity. Sub-lethal doses (40 and 80% of LC(50)) of aqueous and partially purified latex extracts of both the plants also significantly alter the levels of total protein, total free amino acid, nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) and the activity of enzyme protease and acid and alkaline phosphatase in nervous tissue of the snail Lymnaea acuminata in time and dose dependent manner. E. pulcherima and E. hirta are common medicinal plants of family Euphorbiaceae. E. pulcherima is useful for a variety of conditions, such as rheumatism, snakebite, asthma, obstipation, and skin-diseases. While, E. hirta is also used in cough, asthma, colic, dysentery, and genito urinary diseases.