**Abstract**

*Ficus*, a genus of plant family *Moraceae*, includes about 850 species. Most of the species of *Ficus* are used as a source of nutrition for humans. The roots, aerial roots, stem, bark, leaves, latex, fruit, and pulp of the *Ficus* plants are medicinally important due to the presence of a variety of bioactive phytochemical compounds, such as polyphenols, phenolic acids, triterpenoids, flavonoids, flavonols, anthocyanins, carotenoids, glycosides, polysaccharides, reducing compounds, and vitamins K, E, and C. Most of these phytochemical compounds possess strong antioxidant potential in terms of metal chelating, metal reducing, lipid reducing, and free radical scavenging capacities, which may be helpful in reducing the oxidative stress in the biological systems. On account of their high phytochemical content and strong antioxidant potential, these plants show several biological activities including antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and renal-protective, and anticancer activities. These plants have been found to be effective in the treatment of diabetes, stomachache, piles, skin diseases, inflammation, and cancer.

**Keywords:** Moraceae, Ficus, Phytochemical composition, Antioxidant potential, Medicinal significance

### **1. Introduction**

*Ficus* is a genus of family *Moraceae* and consists of about 850 species. About 200 different varieties of *Ficus* are present as woody trees, shrubs and vines in the forests of tropical and subtropical regions [1]. About 500 species of *Ficus* are found in the region of Asia and Australia [2]. Some species of *Ficus* are also grown as indoor as well as outdoor ornamental plants. *Ficus* species are rich in nutritional components and used as a source food in Egypt, India, south China, Turkey and Malaysia. The plants of *Ficus* species are well known in the field of traditional medicine. *Ficus* species have been found to be rich source of phenolic acid and flavonoids which make them able to protect against disorders of oxidative stress [3]. Extract of these plants have been reported to be effective in the treatment of diabetes, stomachache, piles, ulcer, dysentery, inflammation, oxidative stress and cancer [4]. Ethno-medicinal uses of *Ficus* plants have been also supported by their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activities [5].

*Ficus* plants are among the earliest cultivated fruit and ornamental tree which attract birds and mammals. *Ficus* species, such as, *Ficus carica*, *Ficus religiosa*, *Ficus benghalensis* and *Ficus racemosa* are the most important species of this genus as a spiritual, religious and historical plants to be used as folk medicine to treat various ailments, infectious diseases and cancer [6, 7]. Various parts of *Ficus religiosa*, have been reported to be used to treat high fever, chronic asthma and cancer and regulate menstrual cycle [8–11]. *Ficus carica* also known as edible fig, its fruit had been used from ancient times due to its activity against cancer, hepatomegaly, ulcer, platelets and inflammatory disorders. Leaves of *Ficus carica* used to treat dermatitis. It can activate potassium ATP channels and, hence, is used effectively in gut motility [12]. *Ficus racemosa* traditionally named as sacred fig is popular as its latex is used in treatment of ulcer, tumor, gout and aphrodisiac and fruits are used as laxative and digestive due to antitumor and antibacterial activity [13]. *Ficus benghalensis* commonly called Indian banyan has been reported to possess anti-insulinase, anthelmintic, and antitumor activity [14, 15]. Different species of *Ficus* shows different colors due to the presence of various pigments like polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins. The skin of *Ficus* fruits contains comparatively higher content of phytochemicals and antioxidants than fruit pulp [16]. The wood of the *Ficus* plants contains latex like material within their vasculatures that provide protection and wound healing from physical assaults [17].


The genus *Ficus* is classified as:
