Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Cholinesterase, and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Plant Derived Extracts and Column Semi-Purified Fractions of Ficus benghalensis

Abstract

Background : The present study aimed to investigate the in-vitro anti-diabetic, anti-cholinesterase, and anti-inflammatory potential of extracts from different parts of Ficus benghalensis , including leaves, stem, and roots, as well as isolated column fractions (F-B-1 C, F-B-2 C, F-B-3 C, and F-B-4 C). Methods : The extracts and subsequent fractions were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against key enzymes involved in diabetes [ α -glucosidase and α -amylase], neurodegenerative diseases [acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase], and inflammation (cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)). Results : The results showed that F. benghalensis leaf extract exhibited the highest α -glucosidase inhibitory activity (73.84%) and α -amylase inhibitory activity (76.29%) at 1000 µg/mL. The stem extract (65.50%) and F-B-2 C fraction (69.67%) also demonstrated significant α -glucosidase inhibitory activity. In terms of anti-cholinesterase activity, the extracts of roots, leaves, and stem showed promising inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values ranging from 50.50 to 474.83 µg/mL. The derived fractions (F-B-1 C, F-B-2 C, F-B-3 C, and F-B-4 C) also exhibited notable inhibition of AChE and BChE, with IC 50 values from 91.85 to 337.94 µg/mL. Moreover, the F-B-3 C fraction demonstrated the highest COX-2 inhibitory potential (85.72%), followed by F-B-1 C (83.13%), the stem extract (80.85%), and the leaves extract (79.00%). The F-B-1 C fraction showed the highest 5-LOX inhibitory activity (87.63%), while the root extract exhibited the lowest inhibition (73.39%). Conclusions : The results demonstrated promising bioactivity, suggesting the potential of F. benghalensis as a source of natural compounds with therapeutic applications. Further studies are required to identify and isolate the active components responsible for these effects and to evaluate their in-vivo efficacy and safety.