This study documents Euphorbiaceae plants in Southern Africa, focusing on their traditional medicinal uses, pharmacological properties, toxicity, and active secondary metabolites. Literature from scientific journals, books, dis-sertations, and conference papers from 1962 to 2023 was reviewed for 15 Euphorbia species. Recent findings indicate that certain compounds in Eu-phorbia plants have significant biological and pharmacological properties. However, the white sticky latex sap they contain is highly toxic yet can also have medicinal applications. Phytochemical analysis has shown these plants exhibit beneficial effects, including antibacterial, antioxidant, antiprolifera-tive, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-HIV activ-ities. Key phytochemicals such as euphol, cycloartenol, tirucallol, and triterpenoids contribute to their therapeutic efficacy, along with various proteins like lectin and lysozyme. Despite some Euphorbiaceae species being screened for medicinal compounds, many have not been thoroughly exam-ined, highlighting a critical gap. Given their historical usage, further research is essential to evaluate the medicinal significance of Euphorbia species through detailed studies of isolated compounds and their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. This research will serve as a valuable resource for future inquiries into the benefits of lesser-studied Euphorbia species.