Ficus virens

Abstract: The barks of 4 Ficus species, namely F. racemosa, F. virens, F. religiosa and F. benghalensis, are important ingredients in many Ayurvedic and traditional formulations. The barks are considered to be very effective in various treatments, such as diabetes, skin diseases, ulcers, and nervous disorders. During market research, we observed that various species of Ficus barks were sold in Indian market under traditional names, such as Plaksah, Udumbarah, Asvatthah, and Vatah. The barks of the species mention above are usually interchanged or adulterated with other species of Ficus because of the limited knowledge in identification and differentiation. Therefore, a detailed comparative pharmacognostic evaluation of the 4 species has been carried out with the aim to establish the diagnostic keys of these important drugs based on the macroscopic, microscopic, and HPTLC profiles. Detailed diagnostic and distinctive characteristics for the differentiation of the 4 Ficus species are discussed.

Abstract: In this research, the conditions for extraction of phenolics from leaves of Ficus virens were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The extraction abilities of phenolics (EAP) and flavonoids (EAF), the 2,2-diphenyl-1-pierylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging potential, and the ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) were used as quality indicators. The results of single-factor experiments showed that temperature, ethanol concentration, extraction time, and the number of extraction cycles were the main influencing variables, and these provided key information for the central composite design. The results of RSM fitted well to a second degree polynomial model and more than 98% of the variability was explained. The ideal extraction conditions for EAP, EAF, DPPH free-radical scavenging potential, and FRAP were obtained. Considering the four quality indicators overall, the ideal extraction conditions were 58% ethanol at 57 °C for 37 min with three extraction cycles. At the ideal extraction conditions, the values of EAP, EAF, DPPH free-radical scavenging potential, and FRAP were 5.72%, 3.09%, 58.88 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE)/g dry weight (DW), and 15.86 mg AAE/g DW, respectively. In addition, linear correlations were observed between EAP, EAF, and antioxidant potential.

Abstract: A new species each of Schistonchus and Parasitodiplogaster were recovered from the sycones of Ficus virens from St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. This is also the first record of Parasitodiplogaster from Australia. The species are described here as Schistonchus virens sp. n. and Parasitodiplogaster australis sp. n. Schistonchus virens sp. n. is differentiated from other species of the genus by a combination of morphological characters, including C-shaped females and males, excretory pore opening located near the head, a short post-vulval uterine sac, rose-thorn-shaped spicule, amoeboid sperm, no gubernaculum, three pairs of subventral papillae on the male tail, DNA sequence data; biogeographical range and host wasp and Ficus species affiliation. Parasitodiplogaster australis sp. n. is differentiated from all other species of the genus by having females with only one gonad, males with C-shaped spicules with an arcuate, slender gubernaculum, characteristic arrangement of the male caudal papillae and DNA sequence data. The generic diagnosis of Parasitodiplogaster is emended to include loss of a female gonad.