Evaluation of bioactive compounds from Ficus carica L. leaf extracts via high-performance thin-layer chromatography combined with effect-directed analysis

• Published in: Journal of Chromatography A 2023-09, Vol.1706, p.464241, Article 464241
• Main Authors: Agatonovic-Kustrin, Snezana, Wong, Sheryn, Dolzhenko, Anton V., Gegechkori, Vladimir, Ku, Heng, Tucci, Joseph, Morton, David W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioassays guided isolation and identification; Ficus carica L. leaf extracts; HPTLC based protocol for potency evaluation
• ISSN: 0021-9673
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464241

•Comparative effect-directed profiling of extracts from Ficus carica L. leaves•Four bioactive zones in HPTLC chromatograms were detected with enzymatic bioassays•Inhibition of α-amylase, acetylcholinesterase, COX-1 and good antimicrobial activity•New HPTLC based IC50 assessments for bioactivity evaluation are established•Multipotent zones assigned to furocoumarins, fatty acids, sterols and triterpenoids This study compares different solvent systems with the use of spontaneous fermentation on the phytochemical composition of leaf extracts from a locally grown white variety of common fig (Ficus carica Linn.). The aim was to detects and identify bioactive compounds that are responsible for acetylcholinesterase (AChE), α-amylase and Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) enzyme inhibition, and compounds that exhibit antimicrobial activity. Bioactive zones in chromatograms were detected by combining High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) with enzymatic and biological assays. A new experimental protocol for measuring the relative half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) was designed to evaluate the potency of the extracts compared to the potency of known inhibitors. Although the IC50 of the fig leaf extract for α-amylase and AChE inhibition were significantly higher when compared to IC50 for acarbose and donepezil, the COX-1 inhibition by the extract (IC50 = 627 µg) was comparable to that of salicylic acid (IC50 = 557 µg), and antimicrobial activity of the extract (IC50 = 375-511 µg) was similar to ampicillin (IC50 = 495 µg). Four chromatographic zones exhibited bioactivity. Compounds from detected bioactive bands were provisionally identified by comparing the band positions to coeluted standards, and by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra from eluted zones. Flash chromatography was used to separate selected extract into fractions and isolate fractions that are rich in bioactive compounds for further characterisation with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis. The main constituents identified were umbelliferon (zone 1), furocoumarins psoralen and bergapten (zone 2), different fatty acids (zone 3 and 4), and pentacyclic triterpenoids (calotropenyl acetate or lupeol) and stigmasterol (zone 4).