Variation of bioactive compounds and biological activity of Ficus carica L. cv. Dottato aerial parts collected in different months

Figs (Ficus carica L., Moraceae) are perhaps the oldest of all cultivated fruit crops and are grown in many areas of the world with subtropical climates. The barks, leaves and fruits are considered to be very effective in various diseases. The content of phytochemicals in plant material is influenced by eco-physiological conditions, genotype, cultivation techniques and phenological stage which influences the compositional quality of fruits and vegetables, since, during different months, a series of biochemical, physiological and structural modifications occur and these determine the attributes of phytocomplex quality. Leaves, bark and woody part of Ficus carica L. cultivar Dottato collected in three different months (June, July and September) were examined to assess their chemical composition, antioxidant and phototoxic activity on human melanoma cells. Components in Ficus samples, collected periodically, were extracted by hydroalcoholic solution (70% ethanol). Linoleic acid peroxidation and DPPH test were used to assess antioxidant activity while MTT assay was used to evaluate antiproliferative activity on C32 human melanoma cells after irradiation of an UVA dose of 1.8 J/cm2 (Menichini et al., 2012). The phytochemical investigation revealed different composition in the coumarins, psoralen and bergapten, fatty acids, polyphenol and flavonoid content. The highest total phenolic content was found in the second harvest of leaves (12.9 mg chlorogenic acid eq/g of dried material) while flavonoids were more abundant in the first harvest of leaves (2.1 mg/g). Second harvest of leaves possessed the highest content of bergapten (8.2%) while first harvest of bark showed the major content of psoralen (23.3%). The fatty acids analysis revealed that the highest content of linolenic acid was found in first harvest of woody part (14.1%) while linoleic acid showed the same content in leaves and woody part samples. The harvest II of leaves possessed the highest antiradical activity using DPPH test with an IC50 value of 64 μg/mL while harvest III showed the best inhibition of peroxidation with an IC50 value of 1.48 μg/mL. F. carica leaves samples showed also the best antiproliferative activity in comparison to bark and woody part. Among leaves samples the harvest III showed the lower IC50 (3.92 μg/mL).