Euphorbia is one of the most kinds, the most extensive and most variegated of Euphorbiaceae, and one of the most difficult genus of angiosperms.There are about 2,000 species of this genus all over the world.There are more than 80 species in China, of which about 60 species are native, and more than 10 species are cultivated and naturalized.There are more in the Hengduan Mountains in the southwest and the arid regions in the northwest.At present, research on Euphorbia mainly focuses on chemical composition and pharmacological activity.In this paper, the medicinal profiles of the genus and the common research progress of pharmacological characteristics, microscopic characteristics, chemical composition, pharmacological activity and quality control were reviewed, which provided references for future medicinal development research.