Bioactive Phytoconstituents and Antimicrobial Potential of Ficus racemosa: An Integrated Approach to Waterborne Pathogen Mitigation

Abstract

Waterborne infectious diseases continue to pose substantial health threats globally, exacerbated by increasing antimicrobial resistance and inadequate water treatment infrastructure in resource-limited settings. This comprehensive investigation explores the phytochemical composition and antimicrobial efficacy of Ficus racemosa Linn. against clinically significant waterborne pathogens. Multiple plant organs (root, bark, leaf, fruit) were subjected to sequential extraction using solvents of varying polarities (petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, ethanol, aqueous). Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed abundant presence of flavonoids (24%), tannins (19%), alkaloids (16%), terpenoids (15%), and phenolic compounds (13%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with methanolic extracts exhibiting maximum zones of inhibition (15.2-21.3 mm). Environmental studies revealed 96.5% reduction in microbial load within 14 days in water samples containing F. racemosa vegetation compared to controls. The findings substantiate the ethnomedicinal utilization of F. racemosa and suggest potential applications in natural water purification systems and development of botanical antimicrobial agents.