A REVIEW OF ANTICANCER AND CYTOTOXIC PROPERTIES OF FICUS SPECIES LATEX IN INHIBITION OF BREAST CANCER

Abstract: In recent times use of plant natural products has increased tremendously and there is a very high demand of herbal products for therapeutic, clinical, agricultural purposes. Plant latex is a rich source of pharmaceuticals, pesticides and immune allergins. Ficus (Fig fruit) latex exerts inhibitory effects on proliferation of various cancer lines, probably due to high amount of phytosterols and flavoinoids, responsible for its free scavenging as well anticancer activity. The ayurvedic system of medicine also assures the effect of milky substance (latex) in lessening the inflammation in various cancer types. It is widely accepted that alterations of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) expression and the abundance of its enzymatic product prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) have a key role in influencing the development of breast cancer. The present review correlates antioxidant activity of ficus species with its pharmacological activities.

Keywords: Ficus, anticancer effects; cytotoxic effects; medicinal plant