Potent nutraceuticals having antioxidant, DNA damage protecting potential and anti-cancer properties from the leaves of four Ficus species

In the present study, we have evaluated fractionation based phytochemical constituents, antioxidant activity, DNA damage protecting potential and anticancerous properties of leaves of common Ficus species (namely Ficus virens, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus elastica) along with GCMS analysis for identification of major bioactive constituents. Methanol fraction of F. virens contained maximum amount of phenolics (1267.35 mg GAE/g dry extract) and flavonoids (1080.61 mg QE/g dry extract) whereas hexane fraction of F. religiosa possessed highest amount of tannins (123.76 mg TAE/g dry extract). Least amount of phytochemicals was recovered from F. elastica. Highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 108.28 μg/ml) was detected by methanol fraction of F. benghalensis whereas highest ABTS activity (IC50 = 105.56 μg/ml) by F. benghalensis and highest ferric reducing power by F. virens (359.44 mg QE/g dry extract). Leaf methanol fraction of F. virens, F. religiosa and F. elastica were able to prevent oxidative DNA damage at 0.1 mg/ml,0.2 mg/ml and 0.3 mg/ml respectively. Viability of normal breast cells was unaffected by methanol fraction of tested Ficus species at doses less than 160 μg/ml, whereas survival of breast cancer cells was decreased by F. benghalensis at 5 μg/ml. GCMS analysis of the purified methanol fraction of tested species revealed the presence of potent bioactive compounds such as carvacrol, phytol, tocopherol, benzophenone, dibutyl phthalate, lycopersen etc. All our experimental results along with the identification of the bioactive compounds supported the fact that leaves of tested Ficus species as rich source of phytochemicals with nutraceutical potentialities.