Ficus benghalensis

HABIT: Ficus bengalensis a very large tree upto 30 m in height with widely spreading branches bearing many aerial roots functioning as prop roots, bark greenish white, leaves simple, alternate, often in clusters at ends of branches, stipulate, broadly elliptic to ovate, entire, strongly 3 to 7 ribbed from the base; the fruit recacles are axillary, sessile, in pairs, globose, brick red when ripe, enclosing male, female and gall flowers; fruits small, crustaceous achenes, enclosed in the common fleshy receptacles. 

CONSERVATION STATUS: Evaluated as 'Not Evaluated' by IUCN.

MEDICINAL USES: The leaf buds and latex are beneficial in the treatment of dysentery. Latex is used for the treatment of piles, joint and muscular pain, sores, ulcers, and injured tissues. . The milky latex is used to treat bruises and rheumatism and is also applied on wounds to expel worms, to treat gum bleeding and swelling. It is also mixed with sugar and given to children having dysentery. Latex is widely used for various purposes but no detailed chemical analysis has been performed in latex, which needs attention. Both in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activity evaluations were carried out for the antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and other activities. many studies lack the proper experimental design such as use of negative controls, standards (positive controls) and proper use of disease models.

(Logesh, R., Sathasivampillai, S. V., Varatharasan, S., Rajan, S., Das, N., Pandey, J., & Devkota, H. P. (2023). Ficus benghalensis L.(Moraceae): A Review on Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities. Current Research in Biotechnology, 100134.)

ETHNOBOTANICAL USES: : According to Ayurveda, it is astringent to bowels; useful in treatment of biliousness, ulcers, erysipelas, vomiting, vaginal complains, fever, inflammations, leprosy. According to Unani system of medicine, its latex is aphrodisiac, tonic, vulnerary, maturant, lessens inflammations; useful in piles, nose-diseases, gonorrhea, etc. The aerial root is styptic, useful in syphilis, biliousness, dysentery, inflammation of liver, etc. Milky juice is used for pains, rheumatism, lumbago and bruises. For the treatment of spermatorrhea, 2 drops of fresh latex in a lump of sugar are taken once daily on empty stomach early in the morning. Seeds are cooling and tonic in nature. Its leaf buds are astringent, leaves infusion is given in diarrhea and dysentery, poultice of hot leaves is applied on abscesses. The bark is astringent and tonic and used in diabetes and leucorrhoea, lumbago, sores, ulcers pains and bruises .Some important Ayurvedic marketed formulations are Nyagrodhaadi churnam (Bhaishajya Rutnavali), Saarivaadya Chandanaasava, Dineshavalyaadi Taila (Sahasrayoga). Traditionally, different parts of the F. benghalensis tree are used as medicine for the treatment of various diseases. In Nepal, ripe fruits are eaten fresh and they provide a soothing effect on the skin and mucous membrane and relieves swelling and pain.

(Tripathi, R., Kumar, A., Kumar, S., Prakash, S., & Singh, A. K. (2015). Ficus benghalensis Linn.: A tribal medicine with vast commercial potential. Indian J. Agric. Allied Sci, 1, 95-102.)