Ficus racemosa Linn: Its Potentials Food Security and Rural Medicinal Management

India has an ancient heritage of traditional medicine. The Materia Medica of India provides a great deal of information on the folklore practices and traditional aspects of therapeutically important natural products. Indian traditional medicine is based on various systems including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy. Plants are one of the most important sources of medicines. This time widely used by the traditional medical practitioners for curing various diseases in their day to day practice. In traditional systems of medicine, different parts (leaves, stem, root, fruit, seeds, latex and even whole plant) of Ficus Racemosa Linn (commonly known in all over India as udumbara, gular have been recommended for the treatment of diarrhea, diabetes, hypertension, gastric ulcer, wound healing etc. Ficus Racemosa Linn. Showed a wide range of pharmacological actions like hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, renal anti-carcinogenic, anti-diuretic, anti-tussive, hepatoprotective, radioprotective, anti-ulcer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhoel and anti-fungal. β-sitosterol, glauanol acetate, the active constituent present in Ficus Racemosa L., has been found to be largely responsible for the therapeutic potentials of gular. Its great therapeutic potentials and wide occurrence in India the practitioners of traditional systems of medicine have been using Ficus Racemosa L. for curing various ailments, a rational approach to this traditional medical practice with modern system of medicine. Thereby, the objective of this review is an attempt to provide a detailed survey of literature on traditional uses and pharmacological properties of the plant as a boon for ailments of human kind. Keyword: Ficus racemosa Linn, Medicinal plants, Traditional, Biological Activity INTRODUCTION Medicinal plants continue to be an important therapeutic aid for alleviating the ailments of human kind .The Materia Medica of India provides a great deal of information on the folklore practices and traditional aspects of therapeutically important natural products. It has traditional medicine is based on various systems including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy. Plants are one of the most important sources of medicines, because of its great therapeutic potentials and wide occurrence in India the practitioners of traditional systems of medicine have been using Ficus Racemosa L. for curing various ailments, a rational approach to this traditional medical practice with modern system of medicine is, however, not much more available. In order to establish the therapeutic uses of Ficus Racemosa L. in modern medicine, in last few decades several Indian scientists and researchers have studied the pharmacological effects of ethanolic, methanolic & aqueous extracts of various parts of gular plant. These pharmacological studies & their different formulation may have established a scientific basis for therapeutic uses of this plant. Thereby, the objective of this review is an attempt to provide a detailed survey of literature on traditional uses and pharmacological properties of the plant as a boon for ailments of human kind. Common Name Bengali: Dumur, Hpak-Lu, Jagyadumbar, Mayen, Taung Tha Phan, Thapan, Ye Thapan. Kannada: Alhi, Atthimara, Atti. Malayalam: Athi (Kerala), Athiathial, Atthi. Marathi: Audumbar, Umbar. Nepalese: Dumrii. Oriya: Dimri. Sanskrit: Gular,Hemadugdhaka, Jantuphala, Sadaphalah, Udumbar, Udumbara,Udumbarah, Assamese : Jagna Dimaru Oriya/Odiya : Dimbiri Kannada: atti Telugu: (Medi Pandu Telugu Tamil : Malaiyin munivan Malayalam : Aththi, Malayalam. Marathi : Umbar, Audumbar Nepal : Dumri Thai : Ma-Duer Uthumphon, Ma-Duer Chumphon Vietnamesesung: ʃuŋ, suŋ Chinese: Ju Guo Rong. Sunil Kumar Shah et al /J. Pharm. Sci. & Res. Vol. 8(5), 2016, 317-322