The medicinal application of fern-root is not a novel trend. Our ancestors used them as healthy food content and also for the medicinal herbal ingredient. Ferns have different varieties. Many of the ferns belong to Pteridophyta with different spices and genera.
There are multiple ancient documents have mentioned the benefits of ferns including Samhita texts (Ayurvedic medicine). Enough evidence also indicated that native Chinese doctors recommended ferns to treat various ailments under traditional Chinese medicinal system. Recently ethnobotanical researchers continue their studies in pharmacological properties of ferns. Yet now many research findings supported fern is a rich source of herbal medicinal substances.
Above all, the antioxidant property of these phytochemicals exerts an anti-inflammatory property. Researchers found one of the primary cause of the inflammatory condition is free radicals trigger the release of inflammatory mediators by increasing the production of additional neutrophils and macrophages. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation.
Fern roots and its other plant part often used as a primary ingredient of multi-herbal formulations. Maidenhair fern root is one of such fern variety used in many multi-herbal formulations to treat a variety of diseases. For example:
Maidenhair fern along with other herbal ingredients like Assyrian Plum, Borage, Celery, Fennel, Marshmallow, Stavesacre, and Honey is the primary ingredient of a brain tonic.
Herbal dentistry preparations like oral decoction, mouthwash often prepared in combination with Maidenhair fern, Borage flower, and Liquorice as a dental analgesic.
A herbal lotion prepared with Maidenhair fern and other plant ingredients such as Chinaberry, Indian Gooseberry, Myrrh, Myrtle oil helps to prevent hair fall.
Licorice, Fenugreek, Marshmallow, Flax, Hyssop, Common Mallow, Stavesacre, Fig, along with Maidenhair fern combination used to prepare a herbal syrup for hepatitis treatment.
An oral herbal decoction prepared with Maidenhair fern, Liquorice, Hyssop, Flax, Borage, Fig, Orris, Fennel, Stavesacre helps to control asthma and cough trigger.
inhibition of cancer cell lines, such as stomach cancer, prostate cancer, malignant melanoma, and mouse fibroblasts, by crude extracts and several isolated compounds.
Platelet aggregation, increase the level of blood, and inflammatory conditions are the primary culprit of cardiac problems. But the fern’s root is a rich source of antioxidative flavonoids along with these they have antiplatelet, lipoprotective, and anti-inflammatory activity, which helps to improve heart functioning.
The potent antibacterial property of Maidenhair and Adiantum species of fern is effective against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains and prevent infection occurs by the invasion of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vibrio cholera, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus,E.coli, and Helicobacter pylori bacterial infections. All the ferns parts of these species of ferns also effective to show the anti-viral property.
Very limited antimicrobial have anti-viral property. Certain ferns roots like Athyrium acrostichoides, B. orientale, C. fortunei, D. crassirhizoma, O. japonica, Sphaeropteris lepifera, Woodwardia unigemmata, and Woodwardia orientalis are therapeutically used due to their antiviral property.
The whole plant parts of Actinopteris radiata L. (a type of fern) has anthelmintic medicinal property.
Inflammation of liver associated with impaired bile secretion leads to jaundice. Leaves and rhizomes of Asplenium adiantum,Ceterach officinarum and whole plant part of Asplenium falcatum are used to treat jaundice. But the wide medicinal properties of these ferns are also effective to treat chronic cough, spleen inflammatory condition, etc.
Both leaves and roots of Botrychium lunaria (L.) are used to control loose motion occurs due to dysentery. Along with this root of Cheilanthes farinosa is recommended to relieve stomach pain.
Lumbago or muscle pain associated with back pain is used to treat with a fern-root variety of Cibotium barometz.
Dyspepsia, hectic fever, typhoid are common gastrointestinal problems often patient experienced. The rhizome of Drynaria quercifolia has medicinal properties effective to treattyphoid and hectic fever, dyspepsia.
Cough and throat infection are very common upper respiratory tract disorder. Herbal medicine prepared with Rhizome of Schizaea dichotoma fern species often helps to relieve cough and throat infection.
Eczema often causes skin patches and make the skin rough with inflamed blisters which can cause skin irritation and bleeding. The root of Cheilanthes farinosa is an effective treatment for treating eczema.
The identification of medicinal fern is difficult. Therefore, individuals should not use any fern preparation on their own. Certain ferns like male fern are unsafe for oral intake. Only external application for treating the fungal infection can be possible with this herbal ingredient. Side effects of oral intake of such unsafe fern can cause serious side effects like breathing difficulty, headaches, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, convulsions, tremors, heart and lung failure, eye disorders, muscular weakness, coma, temporary or permanent blindness, and death.