Ficus carica L. as a source of natural bioactive flavonoids

Abstract

The fig tree (Ficus carica L.) is a deciduous plant belonging to the Moraceae family. F. carica is known for its exotic, delicious fruits consumed worldwide, with an interesting nutritional profile and a wide range of bioactive compounds, particularly flavonoids. Flavonoids with their different classes (flavonols, flavones, isoflavones, flavanols, flavanones, and anthocyanins) attracted the scientific community more due to their wide range of biological activities and their possible application in several fields such as agro-food and pharmaceutical industries. The current chapter aims to give consistent information about flavonoids of different Ficus carica plant parts and their by-products, considering the content, the profile, the method of extraction, and the potential application. Ficus carica leaves, and colored fruits (dark peel fraction) are recognized by their high flavonoid contents. According to the geographical localization and the fig cultivar, a notable variability in flavonoid contents was found in the literature. Numerous flavonoid classes occur in Ficus carica extracts, including flavonols (rutin and quercetin derivatives), flavanones (naringenin and eriodictyol), flavones (apigenin and luteolin derivatives), and anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rhamnoglucoside). Flavonoid-rich extracts from Ficus carica could be considered natural and safe alternative ingredients for application in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products.