A review of pharmacognostic, physicochemical, phytochemical and pharmacological studies on Ficus bengalensis L.

Abstract

Since the birth of humans on this planet, plants have been utilized for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of various ailments. Ficus bengalensis L., belonging to family Moraceae, commonly known as Banyan tree, is one the most utilized plants. It is a very large tree with spreading branches bearing multiple aerial roots hanging downward. In traditional systems of medicines, various plant parts such as stem bark, aerial roots, vegetative buds, leaves, fruits and latex are used in diabetes, dysentery, seminal weakness, menorrhagia, leucorrhoea, erysipelas, nervous disorders, burning sensation, hemorrhages and applied topically on pimples, abscesses, wounds, ulcers, sores, cracked soles of the feet and rheumatic inflammations. Pharmacognostic studies have been done to set its quality control parameters and various phytochemicals viz. phytosterols, anthocyanidin derivatives, fatty acids, amino acids, polysaccharides, flavonoids, flavonols, leucoanthocyanidins and triterpenoids have been identified and isolated. This plant is reported to possess many useful pharmacological activities also viz. antihyperglycemic, antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidemic, hypocholesterolemic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, larvicidal, anti-diarrhoeal, antimutagenic, antioxidant, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, anti-arthritic, antiallergic and immunostimulatory. The present review is an effort to give a detailed survey of the literature on its ethnomedical uses, pharmacognosy, physicochemical parameters, phytochemistry, pharmacological studies and other commercial uses.