Ficus auriculata Lour. (Moraceae) as a Medicinal and Nutritional Resource with Phytochemical Diversity and Pharmacological Potential

Abstract

Ficus auriculata Lour. (Moraceae) is a wild edible fig traditionally used as food, fodder and in local medicinal practices across parts of Asia. This review synthesises literature published up to 2026 on its botanical characteristics, ethnomedicinal uses, nutritional composition, phytochemical constituents and reported pharmacological activities. Information was identified through a literature survey using PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect, with relevant English-language studies and ethnomedicinal reports considered. Fruits, leaves, bark, stems and roots have been investigated for nutrients and secondary metabolites, including phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, glycosides and selected terpenoid compounds. The fruit provides dietary fibre, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, while the species also contributes to traditional fodder systems. Experimental investigations report antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, glucose-lowering, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective and anticoagulant activities in particular extracts or assay systems. Antiproliferative and cytotoxic findings vary among extracts and cellular models, and evidence of anticancer effects remains preliminary. Available acute-toxicity observations offer limited reassurance for the specific preparations and doses evaluated but cannot establish long-term or clinical safety. Variation in extraction methods, plant parts and experimental designs limits direct comparisons across studies. Overall, F. auriculata is a potentially useful nutritional resource and a subject for further phytochemical and pharmacological research; however, extract standardisation, mechanistic investigation, comprehensive toxicological assessment and properly designed clinical studies are needed before therapeutic applications can be substantiated.