Growth promoting potential of Ficus bengalensis root extracts in immature female rats

Abstract

The growth promoting potential of alcohol and aqueous extracts of young prop roots of Ficus bengalensis Linn. (Moraceae), a medicinal plant widely used among the tribes of the western zone of Maharashtra state, India to increase height, was studied. Its growth promoting effect was evaluated in one-month-old immature female rats. Extracts were administered to young rats for 30 days. Significant (p < 0.05) increase in body weight was observed in alcohol and aqueous extract treated immature female rats. Animals treated with alcohol extract showed statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in parameters such as mean food consumption, total body length and increase in alkaline phosphatase levels, a biochemical marker for bone formation. Significant results were not observed in other parameters such as feed efficiency, tail length, relative organ weight, bone density, tibial epiphyseal cartilage width and bone hydroxy proline levels. The results obtained establish the efficacy of the plant material as well as importance of chronic studies to justify the use of this plant in growth promotion.

Keywords::

• Growth promotion
• Ficus bengalensis
• prop roots
• Moraceae

Acknowledgement

The authors sincerely thank Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), India, for providing all the facilities to carry out this study.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.