Received: Apr 17, 2025 / Accepted: Dec 13, 2025 / Published: Mar 31, 2026
This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and biological activities of Ficus racemosa bark. To achieve this, extracts were prepared using various solvents (acetone, hexane, methanol, ethanol, and aqueous mixtures) and subsequently evaluated for their antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, and anti-inflammatory properties. The presence of bioactive compounds, including glycosides, steroids, tannins, polyphenols, and flavonoids was analyzed. Antioxidant potential was assessed via the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging and ferric reducing power assays. In the DPPH assay, the IC50 values ranged from 5.55 to 9.89 mg L-1, with the ethanol extract (S4) showing the lowest IC50 (5.55 mg L-1), surpassing vitamin C (IC50 = 6.18 mg L-1). The ferric reducing power assay indicated that the methanol extract (S2) exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity with an EC50 of 7.59 mg L-1, 3.5 times lower than that of the butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) standard (26.82 mg L-1). In vitro α-glucosidase inhibition assays revealed that all the extracts effectively suppressed enzyme activity, with IC50 values from 0.049 mg L-1 (S4) to 0.66 mg L-1 (S1), significantly lower than acarbose (IC50 = 156.16 mg L-1). Additionally, the extracts markedly reduced nitric oxide production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages (Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophage cell line 264.7), with IC50 values between 62.08 and 182.47 µg.mL-1, compared to the positive control Nᴳ-Monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) (IC50 = 11.91 µg.mL-1). These findings highlight the potent antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties of F. racemosa bark extracts, supporting their potential as natural therapeutic agents
