Phytochemical Constituents of Methanol Leaf Extract of Ficus capensis and the Assessment of Its Toxicity on Adult Wistar Rats
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26538/tjdr/v2i6.4Keywords:
Ficus capensis, Genotoxicity, Therapeutic, Subtoxicity, HistopathologicalAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and conduct a detailed toxicological assessment of Ficus capensis methanolic leaf extract in Wistar rats. The primary objective was to document its previously undocumented toxicity profile and potential for genetic damage, given its recognized therapeutic and medicinal value.
Methods: Ficus capensis leaf was methanol-extracted for phytochemical screening and proximate analysis. Toxicity assessment involved acute (up to 5000 mg/kg) and 28-day sub-chronic studies. In the sub-chronic phase, twenty Wistar rats per group received oral doses of 10, 100, or 1000 mg/kg body weight, with a control group receiving distilled water. Post-treatment, rats were sacrificed, and tissues were analyzed for biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, ALP, total protein, bilirubin), hematology, histopathology, and genotoxicity (Comet Assay).
Results: Phytochemical analysis confirmed tannins, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and cardiac glycosides. Proximate analysis showed 19.69% protein and 37.15% carbohydrates. Acute toxicity tests revealed no mortality or toxicity signs at up to 5000 mg/kg. The sub-chronic study demonstrated no significant changes in biochemical or hematological parameters across treated groups. Histopathological analysis showed no adverse effects on the liver or kidney. Crucially, the Comet assay indicated no genetic damage, with no significant differences in % Tail DNA or Tail moment.
Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest that Ficus capensis leaf extract exhibits no toxicity or DNA damaging effects. This comprehensive toxicological assessment underscores its potential as a safe therapeutic alternative, with active compounds that may offer protective benefits against toxicity.
Downloads
References
1. Sun W, Shahrajabian MH. Therapeutic potential of phenolic compounds in medicinal plants—Natural health products for human health. Mol.2023;28:1845.
2. Kapadia, P, Newell, AS, Cunningham, J, Roberts, MR,Hardy, JG. Extraction of high-value chemicals from plants for technical and medical applications. Int J. of mol sci.2022;23:10334.
3. Vitale S, Sara C , Martina P , Giovanna DE , CT, Fernanda A, Anna MD'A. Phytochemistry and biological activity of medicinal plants in wound healing: an overview of current research. Mol.2022;27:3566.
4. Chaachouay N, Zidane L. Plant-derived natural products: a source for drug discovery and development. Drugs and Drug Candidates.2024;3:184–207.
5. Najmi A, Javed SA, Al Bratty, M, Alhazmi HA. Modern approaches in the discovery and development of plant-based natural products and their analogues as potential therapeutic agents. Mol.2022;27:349.
6. Tareq AW, Irshad ABt, Khushboo G,Khushboo G,Mudasir F. Phytochemicals: diversity, sources and their roles. in Phytochemical Genomics: Plant Metabolomics and Medicinal Plant Genomics 2023;3–33.
7. Stéphane FF, Jules BK, BatihaGE-S, Ali I, Bruno L. N. Compounds from Medicinal Plants. Natural medicinal plants.2022; 147.
8. Sravani T, Sunitha K. Ethnopharmacological properties of the fern Adiantum lunulatum: A Rev. Res J of Pharm and Phyto.2023; 15:133–138.
9. Rajni C, Ravinder K, Ansab A, Suvendu M, Jyoti S and Aarti B. Nutritional, Phytochemical, and Antimicrobial Properties of Carica papaya Leaves: Implications for Health Benefits and Food Applications. Foods.2025;14:154.
10. Radha MK, Sunil P , Ashok P , Sneh Punia B , Sushil C , Poonam C, Parameswari E , Ahmad A , Mahesh KS , Rahul DD, Surinder S , Mukesh KBe , Sangram D, Anilkumar GB , Senapathy M , Anshu S , Bharat B, Mohamed M . Evaluation of nutritional, phytochemical, and mineral composition of selected medicinal plants for therapeutic uses from cold desert of Western Himalaya. Plants.2021;10:1429.
11. Gunes Ak, Gokhan Z, Ramazan C, Mohamad FM,Sharmeen JAM, Azzurra S. Chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils from Calendula officinalis L. flowers and leaves. Flavour and Fragrance J.2021;36:554–563.
12. Dubale S, Kebebe D, Zeynudin A, Abdissa N, Suleman S. Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity evaluation of selected medicinal plants in Ethiopia. J of exp pharmacol.2023; 51–62.
13. LarayetanRA, Ayeni G, Yahaya Y, Ajayi A, Omale S, Ishaq U, Abiodun DJ. Chemical Composition of Gossypium herbaceum linn and its Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Cytotoxic and Antimalarial Activities. Cl. Compl. Med.and Pharmacol.2021;1:100008 .
14. Ayodele DA,Chizurum Oluigbo,Esan AO,Muibat B. Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of the Essential oils of 14 known Ficus species–A Concise. Biointerface Res. Appl. Chem.2021;12: 8003–8034 .
15. Elish SE, Temraz,A, Hassan Baky, M. Phytochemical diversity of genus Ficus: A mini review. ERU Res. J .2023;2:502–524.
16. Mgbemena NM, Akoh OU, Obodo GA, Nwakwue K. Determination of the phytochemicals, minerals, proximate and antibacterial constituents of the leaf, stem, root and seed of Ficus capensis (Bush Fig. J. of Chemical Society of Nigeria.2022;47:20 -22.
17. Owolabi OA, Ndako AJ, Owa, OS, Oluyori PA, Oludipe OE, Akinsanola, AB. Antibacterial and phytochemical potentials of Ficus capensis leaf extracts against some pathogenic bacteria. Trop. J. of Nat.Prod Res.2022;6:382–387 .
18. Onyekachi EI , Godwin CA , Micheal OE , Ejike FCh, Chigozie EI , Amos NW . Protective effects of an ethanolic leaf extract from Ficus capensis against phenylhydrazine induced anaemia in Wistar rats. J. of Herb. Pharm.2022;11:483–489.
19. Kevin YH, Elena KS,Wendy Béguelin,Yanwen J, Rafael CS,Kyu-Tae K, Alicia A, John NA,Richard R. Furman,Andreas G,Catherine J. W,Ari MM,Alexander M, Bradley EB,Omar A-W , Dan AL. Corrupted coordination of epigenetic modifications leads to diverging chromatin states and transcriptional heterogeneity in CLL. Nat communications.2019;10:1874.
20. Seplyarskiy VB, Sunyaev S. The origin of human mutation in light of genomic data. Nat Rev Genetics.2021;22: 672–686.
21. Stice SA, Beedanagari SR, Vulimiri SV, Bhatia SP, Mahadevan B. Genotoxicity biomarkers: Molecular basis of genetic variability and susceptibility. in Biomarkers in Toxicology.2019; 807–821.
22. Seriki SA, Odetola AO, Adebayo O.F. Analysis of phytoconstituents of Desmodium adscendens in relation to its therapeutic properties. Am. J. of Bio Sci & Res.2019; 2:158–162.
23. Sofowora, A. Recent trends in research into African medicinal plants. J. of ethnopharmacol.1993;38:197–208.
24. Ibeabuchi CG, Oyeike EN, Patrick-Iwuanyanwu KC, Akaninwor JO. Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Capacity of Zingiber officinale, Ocimum gratissimum and their Mixture. J. of Public Health and Toxicological Res.2023:1:11–18.
25. Waleed AL, Mahdi AA, Mohammed JK, Noman A, Wang L. Nutritional Properties of Composite Flour Based on Whole Wheat Flour and Sensory Evaluation of its Biscuits. Int. J. of Agr. Inn.and Res.2017;6:2319–1473.
26. Lorke, D. A new approach to practical acute toxicity testing. Archives of toxicol.1983;54:275–287
27. AniaguSO, Nwinyi FC, Olanubi B,Akumka DD, Ajoku GA,Izebe KS, Agala A, Agbani EO,Enwerem MN, Iheagwara,Gamaniel KS. Is Berlina grandiflora (Leguminosae) toxic in rats? Phytomed.2004;11:352–360.
28. McCrea RA,Baker R. Anatomical connections of the nucleus prepositus of the cat. J. of Comparative Neurol.1985;237:377–407 (1985).
29. Rockey DC, Caldwell SH, Goodman ZD, Nelson RC, Smith AD. Liver biopsy. Hepatol.2009;49:1017–1044.
30. Torbenson M. Biopsy interpretation of the liver. (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2021).
31. Fernandez DC, Bhargava R., Hewitt SM,Levin IW. Infrared spectroscopic imaging for histopathologic recognition. Nat biotechnol.2005;23: 469–474.
32. Tice RR, Agurell E, Anderson D, Burlinson B, Hartmann A, Kobayashi H, Miyamae Y, Rojas E, Ryu JC,Sasaki YF. Single cell gel/comet assay: guidelines for in vitro and in vivo genetic toxicology testing. Env and mol mutagenesis.2000;35: 206–221.
33. Adebayo-Tayo B.C, Odeniyi AO. Phytochemical screening and microbial inhibitory activities of Ficus capensis.Afr.J. of biom. res.2012;15: 35–40.
34. Eluka P, Nwodo F, Akah P,Onyeto C. Anti-ulcerogenic and antioxidant properties of the aqueous leaf extract of Ficus capensis in Wistar albino rats. Merit Res J.2015;3:22–26.
35. Ezzat SM, Jeevanandam J, Egbuna, C, Kumar S, Ifemeje JC. Phytochemicals as sources of drugs. Phytochemistry: An in-silico and in-vitro Update: Advances in Phytochem Res.2019; 3–22 .
36. Oyeleke SB, Dauda BEN, Boye OA. Antibacterial activity of Ficus capensis. Afr. J. of Biotechnol.2008;7:2008.
37. Rajput A, Sharma R, Bharti R. Pharmacological activities and toxicities of alkaloids on human health. Materials Today: Proceedings.2022;48:1407–1415 .
38. Adamski Z, Blythe LL, Milella L, Bufo SA. Biological activities of alkaloids: from toxicology to pharmacology. Toxins .2020;12:210.
39. Wangchuk P. Plant alkaloids: classification, isolation, and drug development. in Medicinal Plants CRC Press. 2019;131–138.
40. Adejoke HT, Louis H, Amusan OO, Apebende G. A review on classes, extraction, purification and pharmaceutical importance of plants alkaloid. J. of Medicinal and Chemical Sciences2, 130–139 (2019).
41. Oleszek M,Oleszek W. Saponins in food. Handbook of dietary phytochemicals.2020;1–40.
42. Luo H, Chen J, Su C, Zha L. Advances in the Bioactivities of Phytochemical Saponins in the Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerosis. Nutrients.2022;14:4998.
43. Shehadeh MB, Suaifan GAR.Y,Abu-Odeh A. Plants secondary metabolites as blood glucose-lowering molecules. Mol.2021;26:4333.
44. Ogundare AO, Akinyemi AI. Synergetic effect of the leaf extracts of Ficus capensis (Linn) and Sorghum bicolor (Linn) Moench against some human bacterial pathogens. FUTA J. of Res. in Sci..2013;9:94–100.
45. Mensah MA. Cyanogenic Glycosides as Food Toxins. in Analysis of Naturally Occurring Food Toxins of Plant Origin, CRC Press .2022;25–52.
46. Maria F,Paz O,Lucia CJ,Garcia-OliveiraE, Carpena M,Franklin C,Catarina LL,Miguel A. PrietoJesus Simal‐Gandara. Traditional applications of tannin rich extracts supported by scientific data: Chemical composition, bioavailability and bioaccessibility. Foods.2021;10:251.
47. Ebrahimi F, Ghazimoradi MM, Fatima G, Bahramsoltani R. Citrus flavonoids and adhesion molecules: potential role in the management of atherosclerosis. Heliyon.2023;9:2023.
48. Atrahimovich D, Avni D,Khatib S. Flavonoids-macromolecules interactions in human diseases with focus on Alzheimer, atherosclerosis and cancer. Antioxidants.2021;10:423.
49. Nikhil DP, Aarti B, Kandi S, Summya R, Sawinder K, Nemat A, Prince C, Minaxi S. Effect of sustainable pretreatments on the nutritional and functionality of chickpea protein: Implication for innovative food product development. J.of Food Biochem.2024;2024:5173736.
50. Abifarin TO, Otunola GA, Afolayan AJ. Nutritional composition and antinutrient content of Heteromorpha arborescens (Spreng.) Cham. & Schltdl. leaves: An underutilized wild vegetable. Food Sci & Nutr.2021;9: 172–179.
51. Musa DA, Dim-Gbereva L, Ogbiko C,Nwodo OF. Phytochemical and in vitro anti-typhoid properties of leaf, stem and root extracts of Ficus capensis (Moraceae). J Pharm Bioresour2019;16: 165–172.
52. Tianyi S,Henu KV,Babita P,Vincenzo C. Physical activity and nutritional influence on immune function: an important strategy to improve immunity and health status. Frontiers in physiol.2021;12:751374.
53. Bielik V,Kolisek M. Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of minerals in relation to a healthy gut microbiome. Int. J.of Mol. Sci.2021:22, 6803.
54. Emanuela R , Serena S , Sara R , Piera Z , Maria CS , Giovanni B, Danilo B , Carola S. Role of fibre in nutritional management of pancreatic diseases. Nutrients.2019;11:2219.
55. Carol AS,Davies F. Attachment organization and adaptation in sexually-abused women. The Canad J of Psych.1995;40:234–240 .
56. Sun L. . Impaired albumin function: a novel potential indicator for liver function damage? Annals of med.2019;51:333–344.
57. Ayeni G, Simelane MBC, Yakobi S, Makumire S, Pooe OJ. Bioprospecting the liver protective activity of betulinic acid isolated from the stem bark of Ziziphus mucronata Willd. subsp. mucronata. Scienti Afric.2024;24:e02182.
58. Silva NR, Gonçalves CET, Gonçalves DLN, Cotta RMM,da Silva LS. Association of uric acid and uric acid to creatinine ratio with chronic kidney disease in hypertensive patients. Biomedicentral(BMC) nephrology.2021;22:1–8.
59. Haile K, Timerga A, Alemayehu M,Mose A. Diagnostic utility of haematological parameters in predicting the severity of HIV infection in southwestern Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study. Biomedical J BMJ open.2023;13:e072678.
60. Obeagu EI, Igwe MC.Obeagu GU. Oxidative stress’s impact on red blood cells: Unveiling implications for health and disease. Med.2024;103:e37360.
61. Emilie SU, Hussain.SB, Ane OR, Angelica B, Anneleen K, Helle W, Marit I, KariTI. The discovery of novel immunomodulatory medicinal plants by combination of historical text reviews and immunological screening assays. J.of Ethnopharmacol.2022;296:115402.
62. Grzegorz W,Sebastian M,Anna P. The crossroads of the coagulation system and the immune system: interactions and connections. Int.J. mol. sci. 2023:24, 12563.
63. Shunqiang L, Dong S, Jieya S, Robert C, Wenbin L, Aleix P, Xiaping H, Shuying L, Jeremy H, Charles , Li D , Obi LG, Christopher M, Dave L, Robert SF, Michelle H, Tom M, Joshua FM, Jingqin L, Yu T,Matthew JE. Endocrine-therapy-resistant ESR1 variants revealed by genomic characterization of breast-cancer-derived xenografts. Cell reports.2023;4:1116–1130 .
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
