GCMS-Based Phytochemical Profiling, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Triterpenoid-Rich Hydroethanolic Extract and Fractions of Ficus Sur (Forrsk) Stem Bark

Ficus sur is employed widely in folklore medicine for the mitigation of several disease conditions. The study aims to validate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of hydroethanolic extract and fractions (dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol) of F. sur stem bark. Phytochemical profiling of the extract and fractions was carried out by established methods and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) technique, while their total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid contents (TFC) were assessed by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and aluminium chloride complex formation methods, respectively. In vitro antioxidant activity was carried out by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays. The carrageenan-induced paw oedema protocol was employed in the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of the extract and fractions. Phytochemicals such as terpenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, and glycosides were found to be present in the extract and fractions. However, GC-MS analysis of the extract revealed the presence of majorly oleanane-type and phytosterol triterpenoids, while polyphenolic compounds and fatty acids existed in small abundances. The extract and fractions showed considerably high TAC and TFC values, and substantial antioxidant activities in the DPPH, FRAP, and TAC antioxidant assays. The groups treated with n-butanol fraction and the standard drug (diclofenac) exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory effects with maximum percentage inhibitions of 62.05% and 75.63% of paw oedema in the rats, respectively. The study revealed that F. sur stem bark possessed rich content of triterpenoids and polyphenols, and demonstrated considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as suggested by ethnomedicine.