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Gerd Vogg,¹ Elke Mattes,¹ Axel Polack,² and Heinrich Sandermann, Jr¹

¹GSF-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Oberschleißheim, Germany
²Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Tumor Genetics, Marchioninistraße, Munich, Germany

Abstract

Certain decorative indoor-plant cultivars are derived from toxic wild plant species. Native members of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) contain highly irritating and tumor-promoting diterpene esters. Plant breeders and gardeners are constantly searching for less toxic cultivars of the popular Euphorbiaceae indoor plants. In this investigation, 22 commercial cultivars of Euphorbiaceae indoor plants were examined for tumor promoter contents by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) . Cultivars of E. milii (E. lomii hybrids) , and in particular E. leuconeura, contained ingenol derivatives, whereas cultivars of E. pulcherrima and Codiaeum variegatum were devoid of these compounds. Tumor-promoting activity was assessed by induction of a luciferase reporter gene, which was placed under the control of an Epstein-Barr virus early antigen promoter. The response was closely correlated with ingenol ester content ; the latex of the two E. leuconeura cultivars tested gave the strongest response. The HPLC and bioassay methods used in this study provide a basis for the development of nontoxic indoor-plant cultivars and perhaps for consumer-oriented labeling. Key words: EBV induction, Euphorbiaceae, indoor plants, ingenol derivatives, phorbol derivatives, tumor promotion. Environ Health Perspect 107:753-756 (1999) . [Online 5 August 1999]

http://ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1999/107p753-756vogg/ abstract.html

Address correspondence to H. Sandermann, GSF-Forschungszentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit GmbH, Institut für Biochemische Pflanzenpathologie, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany. Telephone: 49 89 3187 2285. Fax: 49 89 3187 3383. E-mail: sandermann@gsf.de

We thank B. Christoph (GSF-Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology and Tumor Genetics) , W. Göggelmann (GSF-Institute of Toxicology) , and I. Beck-Speier (GSF-Institute of Inhalation Biology) for their support at the cell culture handling and induction assays.

This work was partially supported by the Fondation Limagrain (Chappes, France) and by the Bayerisches Staats-ministerium für Landesentwicklung und Umweltfragen (Munich, Germany) .

Received 28 April 1999 ; accepted 15 June 1999.