This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a medical condition.
How does Ficus benghalensis work to lower blood sugar?
Ficus benghalensis contains bioactive compounds including bengalenoside, leucocyanidin, and flavonoids such as quercetin that may influence glucose metabolism. Research suggests these compounds may enhance insulin sensitivity and inhibit carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, potentially reducing glucose absorption from the gut. Beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol present in the bark may also contribute to antidiabetic effects through anti-inflammatory pathways. Evidence level: C (preliminary studies, limited clinical trials).
Does Ficus benghalensis interact with diabetes medications?
Ficus benghalensis may have additive effects when combined with antidiabetic medications such as metformin, insulin, or sulfonylureas, potentially causing blood sugar to drop too low (hypoglycemia). If you take prescription diabetes medications, consult your healthcare provider before using Ficus benghalensis. Regular blood glucose monitoring is recommended when combining herbal supplements with conventional diabetes treatment. Evidence level: C.
What is the recommended dosage of Ficus benghalensis bark?
The typical adult dosage of Ficus benghalensis bark powder is 3-5 grams daily, traditionally prepared as a decoction or taken in divided doses. This dosage is based on Ayurvedic practice and preliminary research. Standardized extracts may have different recommended amounts, so always follow product-specific instructions. Consult a qualified herbalist for personalized guidance, as individual needs vary based on health status and concurrent medications.
Is Ficus benghalensis safe to use during pregnancy?
No, Ficus benghalensis is considered unsafe during pregnancy. The plant contains compounds that may stimulate uterine contractions, and the milky latex has traditionally been avoided by pregnant women in Ayurvedic practice. Insufficient safety data exists for use during breastfeeding. Women who are pregnant, planning pregnancy, or breastfeeding should avoid this herb entirely. This contraindication is based on traditional knowledge and theoretical risks.
What conditions does Ficus benghalensis treat in Ayurvedic medicine?
In Ayurvedic and traditional medicine, Ficus benghalensis (the sacred banyan tree) has been used to manage diabetes, skin diseases, diarrhea, fever, and rheumatism. The bark, aerial roots, and milky latex are the primary medicinal parts used. The herb is considered sacred in Hindu tradition and has centuries of therapeutic application. Current scientific evidence supporting these uses is limited (Evidence level: C), and more rigorous clinical research is needed.
What side effects can Ficus benghalensis cause?
Ficus bengalensis is generally well tolerated at recommended doses. However, individuals with latex allergy should avoid this herb entirely, as the milky latex can cause allergic reactions including skin irritation, itching, or respiratory symptoms. Excessive doses may cause gastrointestinal upset. Discontinue use if you experience any adverse reactions and seek medical attention for severe allergic responses. Evidence level: Traditional use and case reports.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Ficus benghalensis, commonly known as the Indian Banyan, is a medicinal plant from the Moraceae family used in traditional Indian medicine for various therapeutic purposes [PMID:39106616, PMID:34961220].
Background
Ficus benghalensis is a large woody tree characterized by extraordinary aerial roots and is considered the national tree of India [PMID:36164650, PMID:19580111]. It is widely distributed across Asian countries, including Malaysia and Nepal [PMID:34961220, PMID:27809820].
Traditional uses
Traditionally, it is indicated for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, dysentery, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, skin disease, rheumatism, inflammatory diseases, and blood disorders [PMID:39106616]. In the Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India, the bark is recorded for managing burning sensation, obesity, diabetes, bleeding disorders, thirst, skin diseases, wounds, and dysmenorrhoea [PMID:34678414]. Aerial roots are traditionally used to treat female reproductive disorders [PMID:38043752].
Active compounds
The plant contains a rich diversity of bioactive constituents, including phenols, flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, and leucopelargonidin), alkaloids, tannins, terpenoids (lupeol, α- and β-amyrin acetates, and ursolic acid), steroids (β-sitosterol and stigmasterol), saponins, glycosides, and phenolic acids [PMID:39106616, PMID:34961220, PMID:42255707].
Mechanism of action
The herb exhibits anti-thrombotic actions through anti-coagulant, platelet-antiaggregatory, anti-atherogenic, hypolipidemic, and hypotensive properties [PMID:39106616]. It may promote glucose uptake, with 4-methoxybenzoic acid identified as a potential lead hit for anti-diabetic effects via glucose transporter-2 [PMID:35673455].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DInsulin Resistance
Hydroalcoholic extract of F. benghalensis bark reversed insulin resistance in fructose-induced insulin-resistant rats [PMID:34678414]
Evidence DImmunity
Aqueous extract of aerial roots significantly increased phagocytosis by human neutrophils in vitro and stimulated cell-mediated and antibody-mediated immune responses in rats [PMID:20046734]
Evidence DPain (Analgesia)
Aqueous root extracts were tested in Swiss albino mice using hot-plate, tail-flick, and writhing tests to evaluate antinociceptive paradigms [PMID:27114650]
Evidence DNeurological Parameters
A 200 mg/kg dose of aqueous root extract in mice showed a significant reduction in time spent in the shock-zone during passive-avoidance tests for memory [PMID:27809820]
Evidence summary
The current evidence is primarily based on in vitro studies, animal models (rats and mice), and literature reviews. There are no human clinical trials provided in the abstracts.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 39106616 (2024) — Therapeutic potential of Ficus benghalensis in thromboembolic disorders. · Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
2.PMID: 34961220 (2021) — Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Properties, and Recent Applications of Ficus benghalensis and Ficus religiosa. · Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
3.PMID: 42255707 (2026) — Pharmacological and Phytochemical Insights Into Ficus benghalensis (Indian Banyan): Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Anticancer Potentials. · Food science & nutrition
4.PMID: 27114650 (2016) — Effect of root-extracts of Ficus benghalensis (Banyan) in pain in animal models. · Journal of neurosciences in rural practice
5.PMID: 27809820 (2016) — Effect of root-extracts of Ficus benghalensis (Banyan) in memory, anxiety, muscle co-ordination and seizure in animal models.
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
6.PMID: 36432418 (2022) — Mechanistic Insights into the Neuroprotective Potential of Sacred Ficus Trees. · Nutrients
7.PMID: 34678414 (2022) — Reversal of insulin resistance by Ficus benghalensis bark in fructose-induced insulin-resistant rats. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
8.PMID: 36164650 (2022) — Genome sequencing and comparative analysis of Ficus benghalensis and Ficus religiosa species reveal evolutionary mechanisms of longevity. · iScience
9.PMID: 38043752 (2024) — A metabolomics approach for the evaluation of Ficus benghalensis female in vivo reproductive effects relative to its metabolite fingerprint as determined via UPLC-MS and GC-MS. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
10.PMID: 35673455 (2022) — Ficus benghalensis promotes the glucose uptake- Evidence with in silico and in vitro. · Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders
11.PMID: 19580111 (2007) — Medico-historical review of Nyagrŏdha (Ficus bengalensis Linn.). · Bulletin of the Indian Institute of History of Medicine (Hyderabad)
12.PMID: 20046734 (2008) — Immunological studies on the aerial roots of the Indian banyan. · Indian journal of pharmaceutical sciences