COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT AND QUANTIFICATION OF BIOACTIVE PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS PRESENT IN STEM AND ROOT OF Ficus benjamina

Ficus benjamina, also known as the weeping fig, is widely used for decorative purposes, but it has a wide variety of phytochemical constituents, making it a valuable medicinal plant. The leaves of Ficus benjamina are well explored and traditionally used; however, the root and stem are yet to be explored.

The present study was conducted in Ranchi, Jharkhand, a state in India. The Ficus benjamina root and stem were collected from the wild and comparatively studied. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were carried out. In the qualitative analysis, three different solvents, methanol, ethanol, and aqueous, were used to incorporate a wide spectrum in this research. The quantitative analysis was, however, carried out using methanol and distilled water, since the results were comparatively more visible in these two.

The results showed the presence of major classes of secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, glycosides, coumarins, resins, oils, and carbohydrates. Some of the tests conducted showed the strong presence of some of the phytochemicals, while a few were moderately present, and some were slightly present in the plant extract. The quantitative analysis, including total phenolic content, total tannin content, total flavonoid content, and total alkaloid content, was also conducted on selected bioactive compounds using spectrophotometric methods. The results, therefore, showed the different aspects of how these parts, the stem and root, will be used further for the benefit of humans.