ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIFERTILITY ACTIVITY OF THE ACTIVE MOIETY FROM THE BARK OF FICUS RACEMOSA L

Bioactive principles from the hyroalcoholic (50%) extract of Ficus racemosa L. bark were isolated and characterized to evaluate antifertility activity in female albino rats. Oral acute toxicity study was done with crude extract for 24h. The hydro alcoholic extract of F. racemosa bark was subjected to silica gel column chromatography using gradient solvent system Hex:EA, EA: Eth, Eth:Mth and Mth., eight different fractions were collected. The yield of fraction Fr-HA-F5 was 490 mg, further fractionation for purification by using solvent ethyl acetate-methanol (3:2) yielded compound Fr-HA-F5a (20.22 %w/w). Isolated compound Fr-HA-F5a was subjected to evaluation of its antifertility potential by antiovulatory and estrogenic activity. The isolated compound Fr-HA-F5a was found to exhibit significant antiovulatory and antiestrogenic activity at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight. Isolated compound Fr-HAF5a was subjected to structure elucidation by UV, IR, NMR and MASS spectral analytical methods. The results of the present study provide the evidence of the anti-fertility activity of isolated compound Fr-HA-F5a as claimed in the traditional use. The hyroalcoholic extract of Ficus racemosa L. furnished a compound with structure established as 2, 2',4'-trimethoxy-5,7,8-trihydroxy-isoflavone on the basis of physical and spectral basis and could be a good source of drug for birth control.