Anticoagulant potential and total phenolic content of six species of the genus Ficus from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of Ficus benghalensis, Ficus elasticaa, Ficus palmata, Ficus religiosa, Ficus semicordata and Ficus auriculata, and to determine their anticoagulant potential. Methods: Crude methanol extracts were prepared from the plant leaves, and fractionated using liquidliquid partition with n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. The total flavonoid and total phenolic contents of the extracts and their fractions were determined. The anticoagulant potential of the six Ficus species were evaluated in healthy human plasma, using activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) methods. Results: Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of considerable amounts of flavonoids ranging from 5.3 ± 0.7 to 11.8 ± 0.3 mg rutin equivalents (RE)/g, and phenolic compounds ranging from 8.0 ± 0.7 to 86.5 ± 1.5 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g in each fraction of the six species. Results from in vitro anticoagulant potential assays showed significant anticoagulant properties, with prothrombin time (PT) ranging from 17.7 ± 0.7 to 26.7 ± 2.2 s, and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) varying from 47.7 ± 3.3 to 72.3 ± 5.4 s. Conclusion: The results indicate that F. semicordata and F. Religiosa have higher anticoagulant potential than the other Ficus species studied.