Ethnopharmacological studies on antispasmodic and antiplatelet activities of Ficus carica

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology 2008-09, Vol.119 (1), p.1-5
• Main Authors: Gilani, Anwarul Hassan, Mehmood, Malik Hassan, Janbaz, Khalid Hussain, Khan, Arif-ullah, Saeed, Sheikh Arshad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenosine Diphosphate; adenosine triphosphate; alkaloids; Animals; Antiplatelet; Antispasmodic; Biological and medical sciences; blood platelets; coumarins; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; dried fruit; Epinephrine; Female; Ficus - chemistry; Ficus carica; Fig; figs; flavonoids; Fruit; General pharmacology; Humans; in vitro studies; ion channels; jejunum; Jejunum - drug effects; Jejunum - metabolism; K +ATP channel opener; KATP Channels - drug effects; Male; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Muscle Contraction - drug effects; parasympatholytics; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; phytosterols; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Platelet Aggregation - drug effects; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - isolation & purification; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - pharmacology; potassium; Potassium - pharmacology; Rabbits; saponins; terpenoids; traditional medicine
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.05.040

The ripe dried fruit of Ficus carica Linn. (Moraceae) commonly known as “Fig” has medicinal value in traditional system of medicine for its use in gastrointestinal and inflammatory disorders. To rationalize the medicinal use of Fig ( Ficus carica) in gastrointestinal and inflammatory disorders. The aqueous-ethanolic extract of Ficus carica (Fc.Cr) was studied for antispasmodic effect on the isolated rabbit jejunum preparations and for antiplatelet effect using ex vivo model of human platelets. Fc.Cr tested positive for alkaloids, flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, sterols and terpenes. When tested in isolated rabbit jejunum, Fc.Cr (0.1–3.0 mg/mL) produced relaxation of spontaneous and low K + (25 mM)-induced contractions with negligible effect on high K + (80 mM) similar to that caused by cromakalim. Pretreatment of the tissue with glibenclamide caused rightward shift in the curves of low K +-induced contractions. Similarly, cromakalim inhibited the contractions induced by low K +, but not of high K +, while verapamil equally inhibited the contractions of K + at both concentrations. Fc.Cr (0.6 and 0.12 mg/mL) inhibited the adenosine 5′-diphosphate and adrenaline-induced human platelet aggregation. This study showed the presence of spasmolytic activity in the ripe dried fruit of Ficus carica possibly mediated through the activation of K + ATP channels along with antiplatelet activity which provides sound pharmacological basis for its medicinal use in the gut motility and inflammatory disorders.