Author(s):
Puneet Kaur, Payal Mittal, Rajiv Sharma
Email(s):
payal.talk2@gmail.com
DOI:
10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00232 
Address:
Puneet Kaur, Payal Mittal*, Rajiv Sharma
University Institute of Pharma Sciences, Chandigarh University Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab, India.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 19,
Issue - 4,
Year - 2026
ABSTRACT:
Obesity is a significant factor contributing to chronic diseases and poses a significant burden on healthcare systems. In the current study investigation of the anti-obesity activity of hydroalcoholic crude extract and the ethyl acetate fraction of Ficus benjamina leaves through in vitro pancreatic lipase inhibition and in vivo High-Fat Diet (HFD)-induced obesity in the Wistar rats. Phytochemical analysis using TLC and HPTLC confirmed the presence of Quercetin (Rf 0.31) and Rutin (Rf 0.73), further characterized by 1H-NMR, 13CNMR and Mass Spectroscopy. Pancreatic lipase inhibition was assessed using p-nitrophenyl palmitate (PNPP) as a substrate, with Orlistat as a standard. At 200µg/ml, the hydroalcoholic extract and ethyl acetate fraction inhibited lipase activity by 70.31% and 74.27%, respectively, compared to 83.6% for Orlistat. The extracts showed dose-dependent inhibition with IC50 values of 74.81 and 65.48µg/ml, respectively. For the in vivo study, the male Wistar rats were fed an HFD for four weeks which were treated with Ficus benjamina extracts (100, 200, 400 mg/kg) and standard Orlistat (30mg/kg/day). Extract treatment significantly reduced the body weight, BMI, Lee index, and feed intake compared to HFD-fed rats. Serum lipid analysis showed a dose-dependent reduction in cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels. Molecular docking studies revealed strong binding affinities of the bioactive flavonoids with pancreatic lipase, supporting Ficus benjamina as a promising natural anti-obesity agent. Further clinical studies are warranted to explore its therapeutic potential.
Cite this article:
Puneet Kaur, Payal Mittal, Rajiv Sharma. Metabolic Health Benefits of Ficus benjamina Extract: Anti-Obesity effects in a High-Fat Diet-Induced Rat Model. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(4):1625-0. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00232
Cite(Electronic):
Puneet Kaur, Payal Mittal, Rajiv Sharma. Metabolic Health Benefits of Ficus benjamina Extract: Anti-Obesity effects in a High-Fat Diet-Induced Rat Model. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(4):1625-0. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00232 Available on: https://www.rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-19-4-21
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