Antioxidant, antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, and enzyme inhibition potentials of Ficus carica wood bark and related bioactive phenolic metabolites

Abstract

Considering the bioactive composition and therapeutic interest of Ficus carica, much research has been conducted on its fruits and leaves. However, there has been relatively little investigation regarding the wood bark, despite its potential as a rich source of phytochemical compounds with diverse biological activities. The aim of this work is the determination of the phenolic composition of the wood bark extracts of F. carica from three cultivars (Aberkane, Aghanime, and Bakour) and the assessment of their potential cytotoxicity and bioactive capacities such as antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. The phytochemical compounds were identified and quantified using UPLC-ESI-MS. The results revealed that Aberkane wood bark cultivar had the highest content of total polyphenols and ascorbic acid, while Aghanime cultivar had the highest content of flavonoids. The wood bark of the Aberkane cultivar exhibited the highest DPPH and ABTS scavenging activities (48.55% and 71.81%, respectively). This extract exhibited strong cytotoxic effects against cancer cell lines MCF-7 (IC₅₀ 143.30 µg/mL) and carcinoma HepG2 (IC₅₀ 240.18 µg/mL), as well as potent anti-inflammatory activity demonstrated by the BSA assay and inhibition of NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. Aghanime wood bark extract exhibited the highest ORAC value (446.078 µmol TE/g). However, the Bakour wood bark cultivar was particularly noteworthy for its iron-chelating properties. The UPLC-ESI-MS analysis revealed the presence of various phenolic compounds, notably chlorogenic acid and rutin. These findings demonstrate that the wood bark extract of fig possesses a diverse range of beneficial biological activities, which are associated with its phytochemical composition.