Screening of antihyperglycemic and cytotoxic properties of Ficus racemosa L. Fruit extract.

Abstract

Ficus racemosa L. is a important medicinal plant in Assam, traditionally used by the Bodo tribe, who consume its fruit extract as a preventive remedy for diabetes. Despite its widespread ethnomedicinal use, scientific studies on F. racemosa remain limited, particularly regarding the isolation and identification of its bioactive antidiabetic constituents. The present study investigated the metal contents, phytocompounds, anti-diabetic, and cytotoxicity properties of F. racemosa fruits extract. The AAS and GC-MS methods were used to analyze the metallic and phytocompounds of the plant. Enzyme inhibition study was carried out following standard protocols. In silico drug-likeness properties of phytocompounds were performed using computer-aided tools. Docking and output visualization were performed in AutoDock vina and Discovery studio. Pharmacophore modeling and structural superimposition were carried out for lead molecules. GC-MS analysis of the F. racemosa fruit extract showed six compounds. The fruit extract was found to contain only trace levels of toxic elements, indicating its safety for therapeutic use. In vitro study showed minimal cytotoxicity of the plant extract. Biochemical enzyme assays showed potential α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory property of F. racemosa. Plant extract showed better enzyme inhibitory property compared to standard inhibitor, acarbose (P ≤ 0.05). All six compounds showed favorable drug-likeness, with compound-3 displaying the strongest binding in docking studies. Pharmacophore features and structure superimposition revealed compound-3 as a pivot molecule. Both the invitro and in silico study revealed similar results showing F. racemosa extract as a strong inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Thus, the present study suggests that the F. racemosa fruits may be a potential source of antihyperglycemic agents.