Phytochemical profiling and therapeutic potentials of Ficus palmata Forssk

Medicinal plants are valuable in the healthcare system, offering natural remedies for a variety of human ailments. Ficus palmata has long been used in traditional medicine for treating several illnesses. The present investigation aimed to assess antioxidant, antibacterial, enzyme inhibitory activities and phytochemical constituents of F. palmata. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of several bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, carbohydrates and proteins. Among the tested extracts, the leaf extracts demonstrated comparatively higher phytochemical content. The acetone extract of the leaf of F. palmata showed the highest total tannin, phenolic and flavonoid contents, while the methanolic leaf extract exhibited the greatest diversity of compounds in GC-MS analysis. In the antioxidant assay, the methanol extract of fruit displayed superior antioxidant properties (IC50=149.91 µg/mL and EC=1253.5 µg/mL). The best antibacterial potential was shown in the acetone extract from the leaf against E. coli, having an inhibition zone of 14.92±0.08 mm. Enzyme inhibition studies revealed that the leaf’s acetone extract had the strongest alpha amylase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 2109.74 µg/mL, whereas the leaf’s methanol extract exhibited the highest urease inhibition with an IC50 value of 395.81 µg/mL. Overall, the findings indicate that the leaf extract of Ficus palmata possess significant bioactive potential, supporting its traditional use and highlighting its promise as a source of natural therapeutic agents.