**11. Medicinal importance of** *Ficus benghalensis*

## **11.1 Anthelmintic activity**

The extracts from *Ficus benghalensis* not only to paralyze, but also to kill the earthworms. The aqueous and methanolic extracts were found to be more effective to execute the earthworm when compared to antihelminthic drugs [28].

### **11.2 Anti-inflammatory activity**

The ethanolic (300 mg) and petroleum ether extracts (600 mg/kg/day) of *Ficus benghalensis*, considerably abridged (*P* < 0.05) carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. The ethanolic and petroleum ether extracts showed a greater anti-inflammatory effect compared with the standard drug Indomethacin. The results indicated the ethanolic extract of *Ficus benghalensis* exhibited more significant activity than petroleum ether in the treatment of inflammation [27].

### **11.3 Anti-stress and anti-allergic**

Various extracts of *Ficus benghalensis* bark was screened for its anti-allergic and anti-stress potential in asthma by milk-induced leukocytosis and milkinduced eosinophilia. Aqueous, ethanol, and ethyl acetate extracts showed significant decrease in leucocytes and eosinophils in the order given while petroleum ether and chloroform extracts were inactive. This shows the application of polar constituents of *F. benghalensis* bark as anti-stress and Anti-allergic agents in asthma [29].

## **11.4 Antioxidant activity**

The extract was examined for its antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing capacity, hydrogen peroxide activity, total phenolic content using Folin-Ciocalteu's phenolic reagent. The extract showed extreme scavenging of DPPH radical (96.07%) at 250 μg mL<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> concentration and hydrogen peroxide (69.23%) at 1000 μg mL<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> concentration. The extract shows good results when compared with other compounds. This shows the scavenging activity of the extract [30].

### **11.5 Antitumor activity**

The chloroform extract of the fruit of *Ficus benghalensis* has shown toxicity in the brine shrimp (*Artemia salina*) bioassay (LC50 < 1000 μg/ml). It also possessed antitumor activity in the potato disc bioassay (% tumor inhibition >20%).

The other tested extracts showed no marked inhibition on the uptake of calcium in to rat pituitary cells GH4C1. The results support the traditional use of these plants in Folk medicine for respiratory disorders and certain skin diseases [9, 10].

**165**

**Author details**

host [31].

Ismailia, Egypt

Abdelraouf A. Moustafa

Plant Ecology, Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University,

© 2020 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

\*Address all correspondence to: raoufmoustafa2@hotmail.com

provided the original work is properly cited.

*A Threatened Introduced Species (*Ficus benghalensis *L.) in Ismailia, Egypt*

79.412.76%, *P* < 0.001) in charcoal meal test in rats [31].

a lesser extent (16–19 mm inhibition zone) [9, 10].

The ethanol extract of the hanging roots of *Ficus benghalensis* has been evaluated for antidiarrheal activity against different investigational models of diarrhea in rats. The extract (400 mg/kg, orally) has shown significant inhibitory activity against castor oil induced diarrhea (extract fed rats had 2.21 ± 0.27 defecations per animal in 4 hours; control 4.0010.33, *P* < 0.001) and PGE2 induced enteropooling (for extract fed rats the value reported is 1.25 ± 0.15 in terms of intestinal fluid; control 0.78 ± 0.11, *P* < 0.02) in rats. The extract has also been significantly effective in reducing gastrointestinal mobility (extract fed rats: 50.2 ± 2.7%; control

The chloroform concentrates of the product of *Ficus benghalensis* has likewise indicated inhibitory activity (0.5 mg/disc) against the bacterium *Micrococcus luteus* (18–26 mm diameter inhibition zone), which was not inhibited by kanamycin (100 μg/disc), streptomycin (100 μg/disc) or penicillin (5 μg/disc). *Streptococcus* 

(17–20 mm inhibition zone). Other bacteria such as *Bacillus cereus*, *B. megaterium*, *Staphylococcus aureus*, *Streptococcus epidermis*, *Streptococcus lactis*, *Escherichia coli*, *Klebsiella pneumonia*, *Proteus vulgaris* and *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* were inhibited to

Mitosporic fungi and several sterile forms were isolated as endophytes from the leaf tissues and aerial roots of *Ficus benghalensis*. Although similar number of endophyte species was present in lamina and petiole, the endophytic fungi more densely colonized the petiole. The species composition and the colonization frequency of the endophytes were more for the aerial roots entering the soil when compared with those growing in the air since the roots recruited some endophytes from the soil. The endophyte assemblages of the leaf and aerial root and of the aerial root growing in the air and soil showed little overlap suggesting that the nature of the host tissue as well as the environment determine the endophyte composition of a

*faecalis* and *Streptococcus faecium* were also inhibited by the fruit extract

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88164*

**11.6 Antidiarrheal activity**

**11.7 Antimicrobial activity**

**11.8 Antifungal activity**

*A Threatened Introduced Species (*Ficus benghalensis *L.) in Ismailia, Egypt DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.88164*

#### **11.6 Antidiarrheal activity**

*Modern Fruit Industry*

**11.1 Anthelmintic activity**

**11.2 Anti-inflammatory activity**

**11.3 Anti-stress and anti-allergic**

asthma [29].

**11.4 Antioxidant activity**

**11.5 Antitumor activity**

scavenging activity of the extract [30].

from the bark of *Ficus benghalensis*. *Ficus benghalensis* Linn is a large evergreen tree found throughout forest tracts of India. It is popular Indigenous system of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy. In traditional system of medicine various plant parts such as stem, bark, and root bark aerial roots, vegetative buds, leaves, fruits and latex are used in dysentery, diarrhea, diabetes leucorrhoea,

The extracts from *Ficus benghalensis* not only to paralyze, but also to kill the earthworms. The aqueous and methanolic extracts were found to be more effective

The ethanolic (300 mg) and petroleum ether extracts (600 mg/kg/day) of *Ficus benghalensis*, considerably abridged (*P* < 0.05) carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. The ethanolic and petroleum ether extracts showed a greater anti-inflammatory effect compared with the standard drug Indomethacin. The results indicated the ethanolic extract of *Ficus benghalensis* exhibited more significant activity than

Various extracts of *Ficus benghalensis* bark was screened for its anti-allergic and anti-stress potential in asthma by milk-induced leukocytosis and milkinduced eosinophilia. Aqueous, ethanol, and ethyl acetate extracts showed significant decrease in leucocytes and eosinophils in the order given while petroleum ether and chloroform extracts were inactive. This shows the application of polar constituents of *F. benghalensis* bark as anti-stress and Anti-allergic agents in

The extract was examined for its antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scaveng-

concentration. The

ing activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing capacity, hydrogen peroxide activity, total phenolic content using Folin-Ciocalteu's phenolic reagent. The extract showed extreme scavenging of DPPH radical (96.07%) at 250 μg mL<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>

extract shows good results when compared with other compounds. This shows the

The chloroform extract of the fruit of *Ficus benghalensis* has shown toxicity in the brine shrimp (*Artemia salina*) bioassay (LC50 < 1000 μg/ml). It also possessed

The other tested extracts showed no marked inhibition on the uptake of calcium in to rat pituitary cells GH4C1. The results support the traditional use of these plants

antitumor activity in the potato disc bioassay (% tumor inhibition >20%).

in Folk medicine for respiratory disorders and certain skin diseases [9, 10].

concentration and hydrogen peroxide (69.23%) at 1000 μg mL<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>

to execute the earthworm when compared to antihelminthic drugs [28].

menorrhagia, nervous disorders, tonic and astringent.

**11. Medicinal importance of** *Ficus benghalensis*

petroleum ether in the treatment of inflammation [27].

**164**

The ethanol extract of the hanging roots of *Ficus benghalensis* has been evaluated for antidiarrheal activity against different investigational models of diarrhea in rats. The extract (400 mg/kg, orally) has shown significant inhibitory activity against castor oil induced diarrhea (extract fed rats had 2.21 ± 0.27 defecations per animal in 4 hours; control 4.0010.33, *P* < 0.001) and PGE2 induced enteropooling (for extract fed rats the value reported is 1.25 ± 0.15 in terms of intestinal fluid; control 0.78 ± 0.11, *P* < 0.02) in rats. The extract has also been significantly effective in reducing gastrointestinal mobility (extract fed rats: 50.2 ± 2.7%; control 79.412.76%, *P* < 0.001) in charcoal meal test in rats [31].

#### **11.7 Antimicrobial activity**

The chloroform concentrates of the product of *Ficus benghalensis* has likewise indicated inhibitory activity (0.5 mg/disc) against the bacterium *Micrococcus luteus* (18–26 mm diameter inhibition zone), which was not inhibited by kanamycin (100 μg/disc), streptomycin (100 μg/disc) or penicillin (5 μg/disc). *Streptococcus faecalis* and *Streptococcus faecium* were also inhibited by the fruit extract (17–20 mm inhibition zone). Other bacteria such as *Bacillus cereus*, *B. megaterium*, *Staphylococcus aureus*, *Streptococcus epidermis*, *Streptococcus lactis*, *Escherichia coli*, *Klebsiella pneumonia*, *Proteus vulgaris* and *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* were inhibited to a lesser extent (16–19 mm inhibition zone) [9, 10].

### **11.8 Antifungal activity**

Mitosporic fungi and several sterile forms were isolated as endophytes from the leaf tissues and aerial roots of *Ficus benghalensis*. Although similar number of endophyte species was present in lamina and petiole, the endophytic fungi more densely colonized the petiole. The species composition and the colonization frequency of the endophytes were more for the aerial roots entering the soil when compared with those growing in the air since the roots recruited some endophytes from the soil.

The endophyte assemblages of the leaf and aerial root and of the aerial root growing in the air and soil showed little overlap suggesting that the nature of the host tissue as well as the environment determine the endophyte composition of a host [31].
