title: Bioactivity of certain Egyptian Ficus species.
abstract: The fruit extracts of Ficus sycomorus L., F. benjamina L., F. bengalensis L. and F. religiosa L. were screened for bioactivity. F. bengalensis and F. religiosa demonstrated activity in the brine shrimp test (Artemia salina) which indicates toxicity, whereas F. sycomorus and F. benjamina showed no activity. All the fruit extracts exhibited antitumor activity in the potato disc bioassay. None of the tested extracts showed any marked inhibition on the uptake of calcium into rat pituitary cells GH4C1. The extracts of the four tested Ficus species had significant antibacterial activity, but no antifungal activity. The results of this preliminary investigation support the traditional use of these plants in folk medicine for respiratory disorders and certain skin diseases.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacognosy Division, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mousa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vuorela
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiviranta
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wahab
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hiltunen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vuorela
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D001156:Artemia; D002999:Clone Cells; D004534:Egypt; D005638:Fruit; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D011198:Solanum tuberosum
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts