Tumor promoting and skin irritant diterpene esters of Euphorbia virgata latex.

The mouse ear irritant latex of E. virgata, has been found to contain various skin irritant and non-irritant esters of the diterpene ingenol. In cocarcinogenic assay on dorsal back skin of NMRI mice, acetone extract of this latex produces squamous cell papilloma. Using a combination of biologic and chemical separation techniques one of the initiator-promotor for skin carcinogenesis has been identified as 3-0-2 methyl-decanoyl ingenol.