An official website of the United States government.

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Plant Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae)

Common Names
Indian Fig; Prickly Pear; Nopal; Nopalito
How this plant is used
Food
View the list of ubiquitous chemicals
List of plant chemicals.
Click on column headings to sort table by that column. *Unless otherwise noted all references are to (Duke, 1992)
Chemical Name Activity Count Plant Part Low Parts Per Million High Parts Per Million Standard Deviation Reference
PISCIDIC-ACID-METHYL-ESTER 0 Flower not available not available not available List, P.H. and Horhammer, L., Hager's Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 2-6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969-1979.
PISCIDIC-ACID-MONOETHYL-ESTER 0 Plant not available not available not available Duke, 1992 *
PISCIDIC-ACID-MONOETHYLETHER 0 Flower not available not available not available List, P.H. and Horhammer, L., Hager's Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 2-6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969-1979.
POTASSIUM 14 Bud not available 2600.0 -1.00 Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
POTASSIUM 14 Fruit 700.0 6615.0 -1.00 Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
POTASSIUM 14 Seed not available 1720.0 -0.95 Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
PROLINE 0 Bud not available 3995.0 not available Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
PROLINE 0 Seed not available 10500.0 -0.16 Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
PROTEIN 0 Bud not available 110300.0 -1.00 Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
PROTEIN 0 Fruit 11000.0 73500.0 -0.48 Duke, 1992 *
PROTEIN 0 Seed 121000.0 175300.0 -0.52 Duke, 1992 *
QUERCITRIN 44 Flower not available not available not available Rizk, A.F.M. and Al-Nowaihi, A.S., The Phytochemistry of the Horticultural Plants of Qatar, Scientific and Applied Research Centre, University of Qatar.
QUERCITRIN 44 Pt not available not available not available Duke, 1992 *
QUINIC-ACID 1 Fruit 150.0 1400.0 -1.27 Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
RHAMNOSE 0 Fruit not available not available not available Duke, 1992 *
RHAMNOSE 0 Gum not available not available not available List, P.H. and Horhammer, L., Hager's Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 2-6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969-1979.
RIBOFLAVIN 15 Bud not available 0.6 -1.00 Laferriere, J.E., 1988, Nutricomp Program, Nutricomp Database; reviewed in J. Ethnobiology 9(1):27-29.
RIBOFLAVIN 15 Fruit 0.2 2.2 -0.60 Duke, 1992 *
RUTIN 87 Flower not available not available not available Rizk, A.F.M. and Al-Nowaihi, A.S., The Phytochemistry of the Horticultural Plants of Qatar, Scientific and Applied Research Centre, University of Qatar.
RUTIN 87 Pt not available not available not available Duke, 1992 *
View the list of ubiquitous chemicals
List of plant activities.
Click on column headings to sort table by that column. *Unless otherwise noted all references are to (Duke, 1992)
Activity Chemical Count Reference
Trichomonicide 1 Martindale's 29th
Triglycerigenic 1 Pizzorno, J.E. and Murray, M.T. 1985. A Textbook of Natural Medicine. John Bastyr College Publications, Seattle, Washington (Looseleaf).
Tumor-Promoter 1 J. Agri. & Food Chemistry, 36: 1079.
Tyrosinase-Inhibitor 1 Duke, 1992 *
Ubiquiot 2 Jeffery B. Harborne and H. Baxter, eds. 1983. Phytochemical Dictionary. A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. Taylor & Frost, London. 791 pp.
Ulcerogenic 2 Duke, 1992 *
Uricogenic 1 Pizzorno, J.E. and Murray, M.T. 1985. A Textbook of Natural Medicine. John Bastyr College Publications, Seattle, Washington (Looseleaf).
Uricosuric 2 Davies, S., and Stewart, A. 1990. Nutritional Medicine. Avon Books, New York. 509pp.
Urinary-Acidulant 1 Martindale's 29th
Urine-Acidifier 1 Martindale's 28th
Urine-Deodorant 1 Martindale's 29th
Uterorelaxant 1 Werbach, M. 1993. Healing with Food. Harper Collins, New York, 443 pp.
Uterotrophic 1 Journal of Medicinal Food 2: 227.1999.
Varroacide 1 Duke, 1992 *
Vasoconstrictor 1 Duke, 1992 *
Vasodilator 13 Martindale's 29th
Vasopressor 3 Duke, 1992 *
VEGF-Inhibitor 1 Duke, 1992 *
Vulnerary 3 Pizzorno, J.E. and Murray, M.T. 1985. A Textbook of Natural Medicine. John Bastyr College Publications, Seattle, Washington (Looseleaf).
Xanthine-Oxidase-Inhibitor 1 Chem. & Pharm. Bull. 38: 1772.