Pharmacologic Uses of Ficus Exasperata

The ficus exasperata, also known as Brahma's Banyan and the sandpaper fig, is a tall deciduous tree native to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and India. This tree has long been a staple in the traditional medicines used in these areas, especially in many countries in Africa. Each part of f. exasperata appears to have a medicinal claim associated with its use. As a result, a number of studies have been conducted to test the effects of this tree on various medical disorders.

Blood Pressure Regulation

• In 2007, a study was conducted by the University of Benin in Nigeria. The purpose of the study was to assess the traditional use of f. exasperata in reducing blood pressure. Their findings revealed that, while treatment initially caused an irregularity in subjects' heart rhythms, the subjects' blood pressure numbers did indeed decrease. After some time, the irregular heart rhythms also subsided.

Type 2 Diabetes

• F. exasperata has been found to help insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes sufferers without the use of insulin.

  In 2010, a study was conducted by the University of Lagos in Nigeria on the effects of f. exasperata on type 2 diabetes. The study was aimed at assessing the use of the extract on those suffering from insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes The study concluded that the plant did indeed lower the glycemic response in test subjects, without the use of injected insulin or other traditional methods of combating diabetes.

Arthritis

• F, exasperata has been found to reduce inflammation in the joints of arthritis patients.

  In 2010, a study conducted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology in Ghana assessed the effects of f. exasperata on inflammatory disorders like arthritis. Extracts of f. exasperata were given to test subjects with induced inflammation, and it did indeed significantly reduce the inflammation of the test subjects' joints, and protected them against bone loss. The study ultimately validated the traditional use of the plant as an anti-inflammatory medicine.

Risks

• Despite its many uses in traditional medicine, f. exasperata isn't without risks. In 2007, a study on the effects of f. exasperata was conducted by the Michael Okapara University of Agriculture in Nigeria. It determined that the use of ethanol extracts from the leaves and stems of f. exasperata, in high doses, interfered with the filtration function of the kidneys, and that high enough doses could cause toxic injury to the kidneys, or kidney failure.