Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential oils of 14 known Ficus species – A Concise Review

Abstract

Compounds useful for drugs, cosmetics, and food have been obtained directly or indirectly from living organisms over the years. However, there has been a renewed interest in getting useful compounds from living organisms, especially plants. Essential oils, interchangeably called volatile oils, are bioactive compounds found in minute quantities in some plants. Essential or volatile oils have been known for years to find usefulness in foods, drugs (antimicrobial, antifungal), and cosmetics. This review attempts to summarize information on the essential oil from Ficus species concerning their morphology, pharmacology, bioactivity, and application. This was achieved by gathering information on essential oils from different Ficus species. Essential oils from Ficus species are a good source of bioactive compounds for use in drug, food, and cosmetic industries. It is worthy to note that Nigerian Figs were characterized by the high presence of phytol and 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone, and these compounds are, therefore, seen as markers. Furthermore, this review presents numerous insights on how to best harness the different potentials of the essential oils and possibilities to be examined.