Scientific Name :Ficus asperifolia Vernacular Name :Umusene Family name :Moraceae Geographic Distribution :forest gallery, fallow, sanna with many bushes, mountain secondarized forest, 1450- 2000 m.
Botanical Description Is an erected or sarmentaceous shrub; with scabrous branches, stipules caduc, Leaves with a petiole of 0.3-2 cm long, scabrous, leaf blade elliptic or obvate, entire, ondulate, or 3-5 lobate lengthly caudate-acuminate, acumen of 2 cm long, The leaf has 5-22 cm long and 2-8 cm wide, scabrous and glabrous on the two faces, sometimes pubescenton the veins. Solitary receptacle arraned by two or five at the axil of a leaf, subsessile to shortly pedunculate.
Medicinal Use Ficus asperifolia is a highly medicinal plant that has been used iin folk medicine for the treatment of ailments ranging from wounds healing to diabetes. The available results suggest that ficus asperifolia leaf extract possesses hypolipidemic properties but may be detrimental to heart cells. Root decoctions are used in the treatment od urnary tract ailments, gonorrhoea’ asthma and tuberculosis. The root is chewed in case of cough. The root bark is used against eye problems.
Other Use The leaves are used as sandpaper or as food.
