title: Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Ficus carica: a review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ficus carica Linn (Moraceae) has been used in traditional medicine for a wide range of ailments related to digestive, endocrine, reproductive, and respiratory systems. Additionally, it is also used in gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract infection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review gathers the fragmented information available in the literature regarding morphology, ethnomedicinal applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Ficus carica. It also explores the therapeutic potential of Ficus carica in the field of ethnophytopharmacology.
  
  
  METHODS
  All the available information on Ficus carica was compiled from electronic databases such as Academic Journals, Ethnobotany, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and library search.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Worldwide ethnomedical uses of Ficus carica have been recorded which have been used traditionally for more than 40 types of disorders. Phytochemical research has led to the isolation of primary as well as secondary metabolites, plant pigment, and enzymes (protease, oxidase, and amylase). Fresh plant materials, crude extracts, and isolated components of Ficus carica have shown a wide spectrum of biological (pharmacological) activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ficus carica has emerged as a good source of traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments such as anemia, cancer, diabetes, leprosy, liver diseases, paralysis, skin diseases, and ulcers. It is a promising candidate in pharmaceutical biology for the development/formulation of new drugs and future clinical uses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (ICMR) Mumbai , Maharashtra , India and.
authors.forename: Shamkant B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Badgujar
authors.forename: Vainav V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Atmaram H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Bandivdekar
authors.forename: Raghunath T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Mahajan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030681:Ficus; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Biological activities; ethnomedicne; fig