• A PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW OF Ficus bengalensis

Abstract

Since ancient times, plants have been an ever dependent source of medicine. Ayurveda and other Indian literature have mentioned the use of plants in the treatment of various human disorders. Ficus bengalensis Linn is a large evergreen tree found throughout various forests in India. It is a well known and popular plant in the indigenous systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy. Traditional system of medicine has used different parts of this plant such as stem bark, roots, aerial roots, vegetative buds, leaves, fruits and latex are used in prevention and treatment of different disorders. The aqueous or alcoholic extract of various parts of this plant were found to have activities such as, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, anthelmintic, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antistress and antiallergic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiarhoeal, analagesic and antipyretic, antiatherogenic, wound healing and growth promoting. The present review is therefore, an effort to give a detailed survey of the literature on its pharamacognosy, phytochemistry, traditional and pharmacological uses.