Nutritional Composition, Volatile Compounds, and Phenolic Constituents of Ficus mathewsii and Ficus benjamina Infructescences (Moraceae)

Ficus species are recognized for their nutritional and phytochemical diversity; however, the infructescences of Ficus benjamina and Ficus mathewsii remain underutilized. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition, volatile and phenolic profiles, radical-scavenging capacity, and effects on cell viability of these two species. Both species exhibited distinct nutritional profiles: F. benjamina showed higher carbohydrate, energy, and mineral contents, whereas F. mathewsii exhibited 3.3-fold higher DPPH• radical-scavenging capacity and 4.3-fold higher total phenolic content than F. benjamina. The volatile profiles shared several compounds, with only a few detected exclusively in one species. Sesquiterpenes exhibited the greatest diversity, with 16 compounds, accounting for more than 47% of the total chromatographic area in both species. In the cell viability assay, only F. benjamina at 50% caused a reduction in cell viability to approximately 50%. Ten phenolic metabolites were annotated by UPLC–QTOF–MS/MS, including six flavonols (quercetin, kaempferol, rutin, narcissin, nicotiflorin, and quercitrin), two flavones (rhoifolin and schaftoside), one flavanone (naringin), and one phenolic acid (chlorogenic acid). The presence of kaempferol and chlorogenic acid was corroborated by 1D and 2D NMR analyses. Overall, F. mathewsii exhibited higher phenolic content and radical-scavenging capacity, whereas F. benjamina showed higher mineral content. Further studies on nutrient bioavailability are needed to assess the potential applications of these infructescences in the food, nutraceutical, or pharmaceutical sectors.