Opuntia ficus (Ratjèt) : medicinal properties in alcoholic extraction

Opuntia ficus (Ratjèt, Racket, Prickly pear, Raquette, Figuier de Barbarie) — family Cactacées.

Scientific synonyms : Cactus compressus Salisb., C decumanus Willd. ex Schltr.C ficus-indica L., C maximus Colla, C opuntia Guss., C opuntia L., Opuntia amyclaea Ten., O compressa J.F.Macbr, O decumana (Willd.) Haw., O ficus-barbarica A.B, O gymnocarpa Weber, O italica Ten. ex Pfeiff., Opuntia labouretiana Console, O maxima Mill., O megacantha Salm-Dyck, O vulgaris Mill., O vulgaris Ten..

This database documents alcoholic (ethanol) extractions of active substances. Our monograph currently lists 16 indications in alcoholic extraction for this species. The Lapo v2 catalogue records 258 scientific references for this species (full detail in the application).

Important — scientific references on this public page: only a short excerpt of each cited source is shown (selected abstract sentences), kept in the original language of the publication (most often English), without translation. These excerpts are not the full article text and are not a complete bibliography. The full reference records and complete monographic detail are available in the Lapo v2 application (free 30-day trial).

1. 1

   Cancer: adjuvant treatment for ascites, colorectal and lung carcinoma

   Plant part used: Fruit.

   Scientific references (short excerpts)

   Short excerpts only (not the full article). Full reference records are in the Lapo v2 application.

   • According to Wang J (2023)

     Excerpt Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., a member of the Cactaceae family, contains a diverse array of phytochemicals, including flavonoids, polyphenols, Betalains, & tannins, which have been shown to exhibit potent anticancer properties. Most anticancer studies on OFI & its purified metabolites are related to colorectal/colon cancer, followed by melanoma & breast cancer.

   • According to Martínez E (2021)

     Excerpt The clarified juice extracted from yellow Opuntia ficus-indica fruit displayed antioxidant activity as well as a selective cytotoxic effect on a liver cancer cell line with no toxic effect on fibroblasts. Their phenolic compositions were quantified through high performance liquid chromatography & the percentages of cell proliferation of fibroblasts as well as breast, prostate, colorectal, & liver cancer cell lines were evaluated though in vitro assays.

   • According to Naselli F (2014)

     Excerpt The effect of the aqueous extract from the edible fruit of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI extract), & of its betalain pigment indicaxanthin (Ind), on proliferation of human colon cancer Caco-2 cells has been investigated.

   • According to Serra AT (2013)

     Excerpt Hydroalcoholic extraction & adsorption separation processes (with Amberlite XAD16 resin) were used to produce natural extracts from residues of Opuntia ficus-indica & O robusta & their antiproliferative effect was evaluated in human colon carcinoma HT29 cell line. Moreover, the extracts that presented the lowest effective dose values in terms of polyphenols (ED50 value b 0.5 mg GAE/mL) showed to increase intracellular ROS accumulation in HT29 cells, suggesting that cancer cell death may be induced by the pro-oxidant effect of these compounds.

   • According to Becer E (2018)

     Excerpt The aim of this study was to analyse of the fatty acid content & apoptotic induction effects of spiny & thornless Opuntia ficus indica L. Opuntia ficus indica L.

2. 2

   Inflammatory condition; osteoarthritis, arthritis, rheumatism, oedema

   Plant part used: Fruit.

   Scientific references (short excerpts)

   Short excerpts only (not the full article). Full reference records are in the Lapo v2 application.

   • According to Shirazinia R (2019)

     Excerpt Opuntia dillenii, a well-known member of the Cactaceae family, is used as a medicinal plant in various countries & grows in the desert, semi-desert, tropical & sub-tropical areas. It shows diverse pharmacological activities such as: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, hypotensive etc.

   • According to Kaur M (2012)

     Excerpt Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) belongs to the family Cactaceae. It has been used in traditional folk medicine because of its role in treating a number of diseases & conditions, including anti-inflammatory effects hypoglycemic effects inhibition of stomach ulceration, neuroprotective effects Through antioxidant actions & also used for treating diabetes, burns, bronchial, asthma & indigestion in many countries over the world.

   • According to Elsawi SA (2020)

     Excerpt Opuntia ficus-indica extract has been used in traditional folk medicine for several purposes & exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. It could be concluded that OFI fruit peel extract can be regarded as a potential agent in limiting colonic complications due to irradiation, possibly by its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

   • According to Terzo S (2021)

     Excerpt Indicaxanthin, a bioavailable betalain pigment from Opuntia ficus-indica fruit, has been demonstrated to modulate redox-dependent signalling pathways, exerting significant anti-oxidative & anti-inflammatory effects in vitro & in vivo. In light of the strict interconnections between inflammation, oxidative stress & insulin resistance (IR), a nutritionally relevant dose of indicaxanthin has been evaluated in a high-fat diet (HFD) model of obesity-related IR.

   • According to Author (2016)

     Excerpt Strains of Leuconostoc mesenteroides were identified from raw prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.). Started FP markedly inhibited the inflammatory status of Caco-2/TC7 cells, and also contributed to maintaining the integrity of tight junctions.

3. 3

   Gastric ulcer

   Plant part used: Fruit.

   Scientific references (short excerpts)

   Short excerpts only (not the full article). Full reference records are in the Lapo v2 application.

   • According to Rtibi K (2018)

     Excerpt The phytochemical composition & the effect of the green and ripe Opuntia ficus-indicajuice on some gastrointestinal (GI) physiological parameters such as stomach emptying and small-intestinal motility and permeability were determined in rats administered multiple concentrations of the prickly pear juice (5, 10, and 20 mL kg−1, b.w., p.o.). Mature OLI juice administration stimulated significantly and dose dependently the GI transit (GIT; 8–26%) & gastric emptying (0.9–11%) in a rat model.

   • According to Rtibi K (2018)

     Excerpt These findings confirm the reverse therapeutic effects of this fruit in the treatment of digestive disturbances such as difficulty stool evacuation & massive intestinal secretion, likewise, the gastric emptying process perturbation. This study was conducted to compare the effects of juice and seeds on gastric emptying, small‐bowel motility and intestinal ion transport.

   • According to Park EH (1998)

     Excerpt The ethanol extracts ofOpuntia ficus-indica fructus (EEOF) & Opuntia ficus-indica stem (EEOS) were prepared & used to evaluate the pharmacological effects of cactus. From the results it is suggested that the cactus extracts contain anti-inflammatory action having protective effect against gastric lesions.

   • According to Trombetta D (2006)

     Excerpt The extracts of Opuntia ficus-Indica cladodes are used in folk medicine for their antiulcer & wound-healing activities. ficus-indica extracts on skin lesions accelerates the reepithelization and remodeling phases, also by affecting cell–matrix interactions and by modulating laminin deposition.

   • According to Kim SH (2012)

     Excerpt Cactus pear fruit (Opuntia ficus‐indica) extract (CPFE) was investigated for its antioxidative & DNA damage reduction using electron spin resonance spectroscopy & comet assays on human peripheral lymphocytes, respectively.

Further indications (including other extraction modes where applicable), dosages, precautions for use, and the <strong>full scientific references</strong> (complete records, not only the short excerpts above) are available in the complete monographic record in the Lapo v2 application.