Description
Medicinal Parts
The medicinal parts are the fruit and the tree sap latex.
Flower and Fruit
In its known form, the fig is neither a fruit nor a flower. It is a hollow, fleshy receptacle enclosing numerous flowers, which are never exposed to sunlight, but nevertheless develop fully and produce seeds. The inflorescence is hidden in the body of the fruit. The edge of the pear-shaped receptacle is curved inwards forming an almost closed hollow space. The numerous fertile and sterile florets are on the inner surface. When it ripens, the receptacle enlarges and the one-seeded fruit becomes embedded in it. It appears as a single purple-brown fruit.
Leaves, Stem, and Root
Ficus carica is a deciduous, heavily branched tree growing to 4 m or more. The leaves are downy beneath and are 10 to 20 cm long, broad-ovate to orbicular with 3 to 5 deep lobes.
Habitat
Indigenous to Asia Minor, Syria, and Iran. It is cultivated or grows wild in many subtropical regions.
Production
Figs consists of the dried fruits of Ficus carica.
Actions & Pharmacology
Compounds
Furanocoumarins: including psoralen, bergaptene
Fruit acids: citric acid, malic acid
Monosaccharides/oligosaccharides (approximately 50%), to some extent transformed into inverted sugar
Mucilages
Pectin
Vitamin B and C
Effects
No information is available
Indications & Usage
Unproven Uses
Fig preparations are used as a laxative.
Chinese Medicine
In China, figs are used for dysentery and enteritis.
Precautions & Adverse Reactions
No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction with the proper administration of designated therapeutic dosages.
