Ficin is a proteolytic enzyme obtained from the latex of the fig tree ( Ficus carica ); as such, it has the ability to hydrolyse protein peptide bonds, especially in an acid environment.
The ficina is mainly used:
- in phytotherapy, for topical applications on warts and more generally for peeling operations;
- in the food industry, as a coagulating enzyme (useful in the production of cheese);
- in medicine, due to its ability to reduce the negative electrostatic potential of red blood cells, which prevents agglutination in the presence of incomplete antibodies.