GC-MS Analysis of Major Compounds and Antihyperglycemic and Cytotoxicity Properties of Ficus racemosa L. fruit Extract: An in-vitro and in-silico Study

Ethnobotanical relevance Ficus racemosa L. is one of Assam's best-known plants with rich ethnomedicinal values. The Bodo population of Assam consumes the fruit extract from the plant as a preventative measure against diabetes. Aim: of the study The goal of this study was to investigate metal content, major phytocompounds, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity as well as cytotoxicity properties of Ficus racemosa fruit extracts. Materials: and methods The GC-MS technology was used to analyze the main phytochemical content of the plant and heavy metal detection was performed by Atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Enzyme inhibition was studied by UV/VIS spectrophotometric methods. Furthermore, the druglikeness and bioavailability properties of compounds were carried out using computer-aided tools, SwissADME and admetSAR. Docking and visualization were performed in AutoDock vina and Discovery studio. The latter research has been supported by the pharmacophore modeling and structure superimposition of studied compounds for lead molecules. Results: GC-MS analysis showed six major compounds from the plant. However, the study found that the fruits of Ficus racemosa contain negligible amounts of toxic elements. Biochemical studies found that the fruit of F. racemosa possesses strong α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties. All the six compounds identified were predicted to have druglikeness property with high cell membrane permeability and bioavailability. The Docking study showed strong binding affinities between compounds and enzymes. At the same time in-vitro cytotoxicity and apoptosis results on healthy PBMC and splenocytes showed negligible toxicity (5-12%) after 24 h of exposure. Pharmacophore features and structure superimposition revealed compound 3 as a pivot molecule Conclusion: Ficus racemosa fruit extract inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity indicating its antihyperglycemic properties. Interestingly, negligible cytotoxic effect was seen in healthy PBMC and splenocytes.