Euphorbia lathyris - caper spurge?

[fyzygy]

Interesting weed that popped up in my garden. All plant parts are said to be poisonous, but some intriguing medicinal potential, according to this page: 

 

https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Euphorbia_lathyris.html

 

The L isomer of dopa [3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl) alanine] is said to occur at 1.7% of the fresh weight of the latex. L-dopa is used for symptomatic relief of Parkinson's disease, and is said to have produced some astounding rejuvenating effects, inducing priapism, on some senile males who took it. Leaves contain quercetin, quercetin-3-b-D-glucuronide, kaempferol, kaempferol 3- glucuronide, b-sitosterol, p-coumaric acid, and ferulic acid. Stalks contain hentriacontane, taraxerone, taraxerol, b-sitosterol, and betulin. The energy-promising latex contains 0.5% 3,4-dioxyphenylalanine. Sachs et al. (1981) got 6.2% rosin content (hydrocarbons) in nonirrigated, compared to 4.4% on irrigated plots. The benzene extract of the leaves is said to contain 0.1% (% of plant dry weight) rubber, and 0.2% wax; the acetone extract 13.7% glycerides, 2.2% isoprenoids, and 8.3% other terpinoids. The acetone extract of the seeds contains 40% glyceride. Per 100 g, the seed is reported to contain 15 g protein and 40–47.5 g fat. Seed contain b-sitosterol, 7-hentriacontane, and daphnetin (List and Horhammer, 1969). I predict that if all plants are studied in detail, they will be found to contain both carcinogens and antitumor or cytotoxic compounds. This one contains the antitumor compound b-sitosterol and the cocarcinogen ingenol-3- hexadecanic acid ester (C36H58O6).

 

Edited April 23 by fyzygy