Phenolic profile, antioxidant effects and phylogenetic characterization of Ficus natalensis subsp. natalensis from Benin – West Africa

Medicinal plants used by traditional healers play an important role in the treatment of various diseases in Benin. Ficus natalensis subsp. natalensis, the coastal strangler fig, is used for the therapy of inflammatory conditions and wound healing(1). However, Ficus natalensis susbsp. natalensis is often confused with other Ficus species like Ficus thonningii and Ficus craterstoma due to similiar morphological features and phylogenetic studies propose an interbreeding process (2). A further analysis of the phylogenetic and phytochemical profile of Ficus natalensis subsp. natalenis from Benin is therefore fundamental. The presented research focuses on the analysis of the phenolic profile, phylogenetic characterization and the antioxidant effects of a methanolic leaf extract of Ficus natalensis subsp. natalensis from Benin. A combined approach of chromatographic profiling and antioxidant screening identified rutin, chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid and kryptochlorogenic acid as the main constituents with antioxidant activities. The methanolic leaf extract showed a phenolic content of 1.43 ± 0.07%. A phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacer sequences of the collected plant material confirmed the collected Ficus species as Ficus natalensis subsp. natalensis. The compounds chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid and kryptochlorogenic acid could be reported for Ficus natalensis subsp. natalensis for the first time. Our study suggests that presence of the antioxidant compounds rutin, chlorogenic acid and its isomers, supports the application of this plant for anti-inflammatory and wound healing purposes.

[1] Brink, M, and E. G. Achigan-Dako. “Fibres PROTA foundation.” Wageningen, Netherlands 2012: 152 – 154

[2] Burrows, J, & Burrows, S, Figs of southern and south-central Africa. Hatfield, South Africa: Umdaus Press viii, 379 p.-illus, col. illus.. ISBN,1919766243.