Hauili is an erect, small tree, growing
3 to 8 meters high, smooth, with more or less hairy young shoots. Leaves are smooth and shining, not all roughened, oblong-ovate to elliptic-ovate, 10 to 20 centimeters long, with tip tapering
to a rather sharp point, and the base pointed. Receptacles are axillary, solitary, depressed-globose or turbinate, obscurely ridged or angled, 1.5 to 2 centimeters in diameter, and shortly peduncled.
In thickets at low and
medium altitudes throughout the Philippines.
study isolated isoflavones: ficusin A and ficusin B from the root bark.
• Study isolated two indolizidine alkaloids: a novel ficuseptine and antofine.
• Diuretic, sudorific, antiherpetic, antirheumatic.
Root, leaves, latex.
· In the Philippines, decoction
of roots used as diuretic.
· Poultice of roots used for boils.
· Fresh leaves are sudorific; bruised with oil, used for headaches.
· Leaves applied externally as antirheumatic.
· Latex used for herpes.
· Used by the Ifugaos for diarrhea, cough, malaria and stomach
• Phytochemicals / Phenanthroindolizidine Alkaloids / Stems / Cytotoxicity:
Study yielded six known phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids, eight new
alkaloids – ficuseptines B-D, 10R,13aR-tylophorine N-oxide, 10R,13aR-tylocrebrine
N-oxide among others – from the methanol extract of stems of Ficus
septica. Cytotoxicity of the new alkaloids were assessed in vitro using
HONE-1 and NUGC cell lines. (1)
• Phenanthroindolizidine Alkaloids / Leaves / Cytotoxicity: Study yielded phenanthroindolizidine
N-oxide, ficuseptine-A together with 18 known compounds from the leaves
of FS. Some of the compounds exhibited strong cytotoxic activity against
two human cancer cell lines. (3)
• Mucarinic Receptor
Activity: Malaysian study of 224 plant extracts from
50 plant families for muscarinic receptor binding activity showed the
greatest inhibition, and with other extracts that exhibited significant
muscarinic properties were suggested to be worthy of further investigation. (2)
Study examined the molecular mechanisms for the
anti-inflammatory activity of phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids isolated
from the leaves of Ficus septica. Study suggests that it exerts its
anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting expression of the proinflammatory
factors and related signaling pathways. (4)
• Antimicrobial / Antifungal / Antiprotozoal: Study of ethanol extracts of F septica and S foetida showed antibacterial activities, inhibiting the growth of S aureus and E coli. F septica inhibited Candia albicans and showed antiprotozoal activity against T vaginalis and Entamoeba histolytica. Phytochemical screening yielded alkaloids, quarternary base, tannins, 2-deoxysugars and benzopyrone nucleus. Results suggest the extracts can be used to produce alternative forms of antimicrobials. (5)
• Antimicrobial Alkaloids: Study of methanolic extract displayed intense antimicrobial and antifungal activities. Study isolated two indolizidine alkaloids: a novel ficuseptine and antofine. (6)
• Immunomodulatory / Anticancer: Previous study has shown anticancer effects singly or in combination with doxorubicin on T47D breast cancer lines. Study in thirty male Sprague Dawley rats showed HIF (hexane insoluble fraction) of leaves has a potential as protective agent combined with doxorubicin. (8)
• Apoptosis / Chemopreventive: Study of ethanolic extract of leaves showed potential as chemopreventive agent with its activity on inducing apoptosis in liver cancer with p53-independent pathway. (9)