THE PHYTOCONSTITUENTS AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF FICUS RACEMOSA - AN UPDATED REVIEW

Ficus racemosa known as the cluster fig tree, Indian fig tree or goolar. This is native to Australia Malaysia, Indo-China, and the Indian subcontinent. It is unusual in that its figs grow on or close to the tree trunk, termed cauliflory. In India, the tree and its fruit are called gular in the north and atti in the south. The fruits are a favorite staple of the common Indian macaque. It serves as a food plant for the caterpillars of the two-brand crow butterfly of northern Australia. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is often cultivated, both for its fruit and also as a shade tree in plantations and an ornamental tree in parks, large gardens. They are used in various preserves and side-dishes. Unripe fruits are pickled and used in soups. The fruit can be dried and ground into flour then eaten with sugar and milk. The leaves are used in the treatment of diarrhoea. The bark is astringent. It is used in the treatment of haematuria, menorrhagia, and haemoptysis. The fruit is astringent. The fruit, when filled with sugar, is considered to be very cooling. The root is chewed as a treatment for tonsillitis. This herb is mentioned in all ancient scriptures of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy. It is a good remedy for excessive appetite. The extract of fruit is used in diabetes, leucoderma, refrigerant, antiasthmatic, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antiulcer and menorrhagia. It is used locally to relieve inflammation of skin wounds, lymphadenitis, in sprains and fibrositis. The present review is therefore, an effort to give a detailed study in Pharmacogonstical, phytochemicals & Pharmacological properties. KEYWORDS: Ficus racemosa, hypoglycemic activity, antifertility activity, Memory enhancing activit