Phytochemical and pharmacological study of Ficus palmata growing in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Phytochemical study of the aerial parts of Ficus palmata utilizing liquid-liquid fractionation and different chromatographic techniques resulted in the isolation of a new isomer of psoralenoside namely, trans-psoralenoside (5) in addition to, one triterpene: germanicol acetate (1), two furanocoumarins: psoralene (2), bergapten (3), one aromatic acid vanillic acid (4) and the flavone glycoside rutin (6). Structures of the isolated compounds were established through physical, 1D- and 2D-NMR and MS data. The total extract and fractions of the plant were examined in vivo for its possible effects as hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, antiulcer and anticoagulant activities in comparison with standard drugs. Hepatoprotective activity was assessed via serum biochemical parameters including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin. Tissue parameters such as non-protein sulfhydryl groups (NP-SH), malonaldehyde (MDA) and total protein (TP) were also measured. In addition to tissue parameters, nephroprotective effect was evaluated by measuring the serum levels of sodium, potassium, creatinine and urea. Histopathological study for both liver and kidney cells was also conducted. Antiulcer activity was explored by observing stomach lesions after treatment with ethanol. Whole blood clotting time (CT) was taken as a measure for the anticoagulant activity of the extract. Antioxidant activity of the total extract and fractions of the plant was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and ascorbic acid as standard.

Keywords: Anticoagulant; Antioxidant; Antiulcer; Ficus palmata; Hepatoprotective; Isolation; Nephroprotective.

Fig. 1

Histopathological appearance of Liver cells; (L-1) normal cells; (L-2) liver cells of rats treated with CCl₄ showed Kupffer cells activation, cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytee and focal hepatic necrosis associated with inflammatory cells infiltration; (L-3) liver cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and Sil small focal hepatic necroses with few inflammatory cells infiltration and slight activation of kupffer cells; (L-4) liver cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and 400 mg/kg total extract showing excellent recovery with absences of histopathological changes; (L-5) liver cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and 200 mg/kg total extract showing slight hydropic degeneration of some hepatocytes; (L-6) (L-7) liver cells treated with 100 and 200 mg/kg of the petroleum ether fraction resulted in complete protection and absence of any histopathological changes; (L-8) liver cells treated with 200 mg/kg chloroform fraction showing moderate protection of hepatocytes with only slight hydropic degeneration.

Fig. 2

Histopathological appearance of kidney cells; (K-1) normal cells; (K-2) kidney cells of rats treated with CCl₄ cytoplasmic vaculation, vacular degeneration of epithelial lining renal tubules, focal inflammatory cells infiltration and preivascular edema; (K-3) kidney cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and Sil showing slight vacuolation of epithelial lining renal tubules and endothelial lining glomerular tuft; (K-4) (K-5) kidney cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and 400 or 200 mg/kg total extract showing complete recovery of renal cells with no histopathological changes; (K-6) kidney cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and 200 mg/kg of the petroleum ether fraction showing no histopathological changes; (K-7) kidney cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and 100 mg/kg of the petroleum ether fraction showing slight vaculations of epithelial lining of some renal tubules; (K-8) kidney cells of rats treated with CCl₄ and 200 mg/kg of the chloroform fraction showing no histopathological changes.