Characterization of bioactive compounds from Ficus vallis-choudae Delile (Moraceae)

Ficus vallis-choudae Delile has been reported to exhibit antifungal, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities. Herein, we report the first ever pharmacochemical studies on the figs of Ficus vallis-choudae Delile resulting in the isolation of a new ceramide named nkwenamide (1). In addition, seven known compounds including the binary mixture of β-amyrin palmitate (2) and lupeol palmitate (3), olean- 12-en-3-one (4), n-hexacosan-1-ol (5), β-sitosterol (6), and mixture of β-amyrin (7) and lupeol (8) were isolated. Their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic methods. The methanol extract from the figs of this plant exhibited urease, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and showed DPPH radical scavenging potency with IC50 values, 61.7, 73.7 and 87.4 μg/mL, respectively. It also showed a weak chemiluminescence activity as compared to ibuprofen. The mixture of 2 and 3 exhibited maximum urease inhibitory activity with IC50=23.9 μg/mL while the mixture of 7 and 8 showed the maximum α-glucosidase inhibition with an IC50 value of 44.0 μg/mL. All the isolates showed weak chemiluminescence activity.