Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T12:39:16.782Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Pteridophytes: evolutionary boon as medicinal plants

Part of: Evolving Trends in Plant Based Drug Discovery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2016

Hit Kishore Goswami ,
Kakali Sen  and
Radhanath Mukhopadhyay
Hit Kishore Goswami*
Affiliation:
Retired Professor of Genetics, 24, Kaushalnagar, P.O. Misrod, Bhopal 462047, MP, India
Kakali Sen
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India
Radhanath Mukhopadhyay
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, The University of Burdwan, Burdwan 713104, West Bengal, India
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Selective use of crude plant extracts has been the oldest ritual in ancient Indian Medicinal System ‘Ayurveda’, as well as in Traditional Chinese Medicine system for thousands of years. This has been well documented that herbal medicines of Chinese, Indian, Korean and Native American people had included bryophytes, lichens, lycophytes and ferns. Since antiquity, most of the ferns and fern allies have given many health benefits to ancient civilizations who had used them for food, tea and drugs. Modern approaches have combined multidisciplinary technologies and have specific chemical compounds extracted and identified for producing very particulate medicines from plant parts. Plants, which yield appreciable quality and quantity of polysaccharides, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids and antibiotics are suitable for dragging out drugs for many ailments/diseases, including cancer treatments. Modern explorations on the functional activities of pteridophytes for human health by discovering specific compounds and their usage in medicines have widened the scope of pteridophytes by shaping these plants as a great boon for pharmaceutical companies and related industries. Even ‘fern weeds’, which invade our freshwater bodies and reduce the freshwater wealth of a lake, e.g. Azolla, Salvinia, Marsilea, Ceratopteris, etc. can be utilized to produce life saving drugs because they are reservoirs of very many organic compounds that are useful as medicines. Some of the fern genera have a few unique secondary metabolites, which have not been discovered in higher plants. Polyphenols are useful phytochemicals, which provide health benefits such as antioxidants. From experiments on screening of total polyphenol contents of 37 ferns and fern allies, Polystichum lepidocaulon and Polystichum polyblepharum were reported to have more than 13% of total polyphenols from dried materials of both fronds and rhizomes. In addition, fronds of Davallia mariesii and rhizomes of Cyrtomium fortune, Dicranopteris pedata, Athyrium niponicum and Dryopteris nipponensis showed more than 10% of total polyphenols from dried materials. High bioactivities of traditional medicinal ferns have been studied internationally to underscore their roles in medicine. These attempts have confirmed various bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-HIV, etc. The occurrence of antibiotic activity in the extracts of more than 200 species of pteridophytes has been shown to be of prime significance within the period of 1975–2015. The active substances in many cases were found to be antibacterial to penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium phlei, Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholera, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dryopteris cochleata was active against both bacteria and fungi. Five other species of Dryopteris showed remarkable antibacterial activity. The ferns of ‘Adiantum group’ have been found to be particularly active against Gram-positive bacteria. The polypodiaceous ferns constitute a rich group of which Microsorum alternifolium, Leptochillus decurrens, Polypodium irioides, Pyrrosia mannii and Phymatodes ebenipes deserve special mention. Several thelypteroid, davallioid and athyrioid ferns, in addition to antibiotic activity have also been found to show most useful bioactivity for our life – the antioxidant activity. The latter superb biochemical quality of ferns alone makes most ferns of great advantage to human health. Lycophytes particularly Lycopodium clavatum and Equisetum hyemale and ferns (Dryopteris and Adiantums) have had constituted the backbone of Homeopathic medicines and now many more genera have been added to the network of modern medicinal approaches in the drug industry. These pteridophytes are indispensably integral parts of forests world over. A few of the aquatic ferns (Azolla, Salvinia) serve as excellent bio-fertilizers and bioremediation agents. Medicinal plants are under cultivation and cultured world over. Botanically, say a thousand years ago, these were wild and many of them were weeds. As pteridophytes have survived since Paleozoic, they have undergone series of disruptive adaptive changes of environment than any other vascular plants. These plants most likely, could withstand the tests of geological time on account of their being guarded with genetic capability of possessing many useful oils, phytochemicals (secondary metabolites) such as flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, phenols, triterpenoid compounds, varieties of amino acids and fatty acids, which in turn offer inherent tolerance and defense system . Additionally, from evolutionary point of view majority of ferns have constituted carpet flora and have worked as ‘cradles’ in natural forests so as to nurture small animals particularly reptiles and mammals. Ferns are denominators of prevalent rich biodiversity in almost every part of the earth. Comparison of evolutionary adaptations and natural innovations illuminate the genetic basis for the development of organisms. It is emphasized that there should be good field stations just in the peripheral region of reserved forests with large green houses to function as ‘Fernariums/ Mossariums/ and/or Lichenariums’ to conserve and maintain rare, endangered and medicinally superlative species found in those areas/forests. Gene networks (DNA stretches) that retain similar wiring diagrams (some or many similar DNA sequences) among related, distantly related or even totally diverse organisms point to the ways in which regulatory regions of the genome have evolved. Indisputably, comparative genomics can help us in deciphering evolvability of gene network and conservation modes during vast geological journey in evolution. We need exhaustive genomics and multidimensional molecular genetic studies on pteridophytes so as to discover unique DNA sequences, which could turn the gates of modern medicine.

Keywords

Huperzinemedicinal pteridophytespharmaceutical drugs from fernspteridophytes as ecofriendly plantssecondary metabolites from fernsgenomic conservation of lycophytes and fernsutilization of aquatic fern weeds
Type
Research Article
Information
Plant Genetic Resources , Volume 14 , Special Issue 4: Evolving trends in plant based drug discovery , December 2016 , pp. 328 - 355
Copyright
Copyright © NIAB 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abraham, G, Yadav, RK and Kaushik, GK (2015) Antimicrobial activity and identification of potential antimicrobial compounds from aquatic pteridophyte, Azolla microphylla Kaulf Indian . Journal of Experimental Biology 53: 232–235.Google Scholar
Adams, RP (1989) Identification of Essential Oil by Ion Mass Spectroscopy. New York: Academy Press, Inc.Google Scholar
Adamu, M, Naidoo, V and Eloff, JN (2012) Efficacy and toxicity of thirteen plants leaf acetone extracts used in ethnoveterinary medicine in South Africa on the egg and larva of Haemonchus contortus . South African Journal of Botany 79: 174–175.Google Scholar
Amason, JT, Philogène, BJR, Donskov, N, Muir, A and Towers, GHN (1986) Psilotin, an insect feeding deterrent and growth reducer from Psilotum nudum . Biosystematics and Ecology 14: 287–289.Google Scholar
Ames, BN, Gold, LS and Willett, WC (1995a) The causes and prevention of cancer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 92: 5258–5265.Google Scholar
Ames, BN, Shigenaga, MK and Hagen, TM (1995b) Mitochondrial decay in aging. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1271: 165–170.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Andrade, JMM, Carolina, DPP, Dresch, RR, Rubio, MAK, Moreneo, PR and Henriques, AT (2014) Chemical analysis, antioxidant, antichemotactic and monoamine oxidase inhibition effects of some pteridophytes from Brazil. Pharmacognosy Magazine 10(Suppl. 1): S100–S109.Google Scholar
Anishmon, VS and Thomas, T (2005) In vitro antibacterial activity of Lygodium flexuosum . Nigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine 9: 46–47.Google Scholar
Anto, PV, Greeshma, KV and Santosh, NA (2015) Antibacterial activity of five selected species of pteridophytes. International Journal of Innovative Research 4: 379–383.Google Scholar
Antony, R and Thomas, R (2011) A miniriview on medicinal properties of the resurrecting plant Selaginella bryopteris (Sanjeevani). International Journal of Pharmacy and Life Sciences 2: 933–939.Google Scholar
Arosa, ML, Ceia, RS, Quintanilla, LG and Ramos, JA (2012) The tree fern Dicksonia antarctica invades two habitats of European conservation priority in So Miguel Island, Azores. Biological Invasions 14: 1317–1323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ashihara, H, Yin, Y, Katahira, R, Watanabe, S, Mimura, T and Sasamoto, H (2012) Comparison of the formation of nicotinic acid conjugates in leaves of different plant species. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 60: 190–195.Google Scholar
Asolkar, LV, Kakkar, KKN and Chakkre, OJ (1992) Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants with Active Principles. Part-I (A-K) second supplement. New Delhi: CSIR.Google Scholar
Augustin, N and Thomas, B (2015) Medico potential ferns of Angamaly region, Ernakulam District Kerala, India. International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 5: 207–211.Google Scholar
Bajpai, AK and Goswami, HK (2002) Human genome may share some genes with plant gene pool. Bionature 22: 63–65.Google Scholar
Balick, M, Furth, DG and Cooper- Driver, G (1978) Biochemical and evolutionary aspects of arthropod predation on ferns. Oecologia (Berlin) 35: 55–89.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Banerjee, RD and Sen, SP (1980) Antibiotic activity of pteridophytes. Economic Botany 34: 284–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barker, MS and Wolf, PG (2010) Unfurling fern biology in the genomics age. BioScience 60: 177–185.Google Scholar
Basak, A, Jha, TB and Adhikari, J (2012) Biosynthesis of myo-inositol in lycopods: characteristics of the pteridophytic l-myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase and myo-inositol-1- phosphate phosphatase from the strobili of Lycopodium clavatum and Selaginella monospora . Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 34: 1579–1582.Google Scholar
Benjamin, A and Manickam, VS (2007) Medicinal pteridophytes from the Western Ghats. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 6: 611–618.Google Scholar
Bessa Pereira, C, Gomes, PS, Costa-Rodrigues, J, Almeida Palmas, R, Vieira, L, Ferraz, MP, Lopes, MA and Fernandes, MH (2012) Equisetum arvense hydromethanolic extracts in bone tissue regeneration: in vitro osteoblastic modulation and antibacterial activity. Cell Proliferation 45: 386–396.Google Scholar
Bhabbie, SH, Tewari, P and George, CX (1972) Chemical analysis of Actiniopteris radiata (Sw.) Link. Current Science 41: 88.Google Scholar
Bhakuni, DS, Dhar, ML, Dhar, MM, Dhawan, BN and Mehrotra, BN (1969) Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: Part II. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 7: 250–262.Google Scholar
Bharti, S and Banerjee, TK (2012) Phytoremediation of the coalmine effluent. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 81: 36–42.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bohm, BA and Tryon, RM (1967). Phenolic compounds in ferns. Canadian Journal of Botany 45: 585–594.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boller, T (1995) Chemoperception of microbial signals in plant cells. Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology 46: 189–214.Google Scholar
Boustie, JI and Grube, M (2005) Lichens -a promising source of bioactive secondary metabolites. Plant Genetic Resources 3: 273–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bray, HG and Thorp, WV (1954) Analysis of phenolic compounds of interest in metabolism. In: Blick, D. (ed.) Methods of Biochemical Analysis, vol. 1. New York: Interscience Publication, pp. 27–52.Google Scholar
Breznovits, A and Sheffield, E (1990) Isolation and investigation of streptomycin resistant lines of the fern Pteridium aquilinum . In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology 26: 301–304.Google Scholar
Caius, JF (1935) The medicinal and poisonous ferns of India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 38: 341–361.Google Scholar
Cetto, AA, Wiedenfeld, H, Revilla, MC and Sergio, IA (2000) Hypoglycemic effect of Equisetum myriochaetum aerial parts on streptozotocin diabetic rats. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 72: 129–133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ceyhan, N, Keskin, D and Ugur, A (2012) Antimicrobial activities of different extracts of eight plant species from four different families against some pathogenic microoorganisms. Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment 10: 193–197.Google Scholar
Chai, TT, Panirchellvum, E, Ong, HC and Wong, FC (2012) Phenolic contents and antioxidant properties of Stenochlaena palustris, an edible medicinal fern. Botanical Studies 53: 439–446.Google Scholar
Chen, YH, Chang, FR, Lin, YJ, Wang, L, Chen, JF, Wu, YC and Wu, MJ (2007) Identification of phenolic antioxidants from Sword Brake fern (Pteris ensiformis Burm.). Food Chemistry 105: 48–56.Google Scholar
Chopra, RN, Nayar, SL and Chopra, IC (1956) Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. New Delhi: CSIR.Google Scholar
Chowdhary, S, Verma, DL, Pande, R and Kumar, H (2010) Antioxidative properties of flavanoids from Cheilanthes anceps Swartz. Journal of American Science 6: 203–207.Google Scholar
Cooper- Drive, G (1978) Insect-fern associations. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 24: 310–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Copeland, EB (1942) Edible ferns. American Fern Journal 32: 121–126.Google Scholar
Creasey, WA (1969) Antitumoral activity of the fern Cibotium schiedei . Nature 222: 1281–1282.Google Scholar
Dagar, HS (1989) Some Pteridophytes in the ethnology and life of the Nicobarese. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 13: 395–397.Google Scholar
Dagar, JC and Dagar, HS (1987) Some useful pteridophytes of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 9: 317–323.Google Scholar
Dalli, AK, Saha, G and Chakraborty, U (2007) Characterization of antimicrobial compounds from a common fern, Pteris biaurita . Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 45: 285–290.Google ScholarPubMed
Dhar, ML, Dhar, MM, Dhaman, BN, Mehrotra, BN and Roy, C (1968) Screening various Indian ferns for biological activity. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 6: 232–247.Google Scholar
Dhiman, AK (1998) Ethnomedicinal uses of some pteridophytic species in India. Indian Fern Journal 15: 61–64.Google Scholar
Ding, ZT, Fang, YS, Tai, ZG, Yang, MH, Xu, YQ, Li, F and Cao, QE (2008) Phenolic content and radical scavenging capacity of 31 species of ferns. Fitoterapia 79: 581–583.Google Scholar
Dubal, K and Kale, M (2014) GC-MS profile of Lygodium flexuosum L. (Lygodiaceae): a medicinal fern from north western ghats. Indian Fern Journal 31: 112–117.Google Scholar
Editorial, Nature Genetics (2016) Regulatory networks in Evolution. 48, 5 May 2016.Google Scholar
Fowden, L (1965) Origins of the amino acids. In: Bonner, J and Varner, JE (eds) Plant Biochemistry. New York: Academic Press, pp. 361–390.Google Scholar
Francisco, MS and Driver, GC (1984) Antimicrobial activity of phenolic acids in Pteridium aquilinum . American Fern Journal 74: 87–96.Google Scholar
Fraser-Jenkins, CR (2012) Sanjeevani could not have been Selaginella bryopteris! Indian Fern Journal 29: 183–195.Google Scholar
Ganguly, G, Sarkar, K, Mukherjee, S, Bhattacharya, A and Mukhopadhyay, R (2011) Phytochemistry and antimicrobial activity of crude extracts and extracted phenols from an epiphytic fern Arthromeris himalayensis (Hook.) Ching. Bioresearch Bulletin 5: 311–315.Google Scholar
Gaur, RD and Bhatt, BP (1994) Folk Utilization of some pteridophytes of Deoprayag area in Garhwal Himalaya:India. Economic Botany 48: 146–151.Google Scholar
Gerson, U (1979) The associations between pteridophytes and arthropods. Fern Gazette 12: 29–45.Google Scholar
Gombau, L, Garcia, F, Lahoz, A, Fabre, M, Roda-Navarro, P, Majano, P, Alonso-Lebrero, JL, Pivel, JP, Castell, JV and Gomez-Lechon, MJ (2006) Polypodium Leucomotos extract: antioxidant activity and disposition. Toxicology in vitro 20: 464–471.Google Scholar
Gonzalez, S and Pathak, MA (1996) Inhibition of ultraviolet-induced formation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, erythrema, and skin photosensitization by Polypodium leucomoostos . Photodermatology, Photoimmunology and Phytomedicine 12: 45–56.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK (1981) Biological notes on Bastar. Bionature 1: 1–10.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK (2009a) Dispersal of genes in evolution:II. Conserved DNA sequences are evolutionary signals in the Human genome. Bionature 29: 39–46.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK (2009b) Non angiospermic plants are also ancient medicinal plants: conserve and explore them. Bionature 29: 95–107.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK (2012) Human genome is billions of years older than man: a reemphasis on random distribution of DNA sequences during early phases of evolution. Bionature 35: 35–43.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK (2013) Palaeoploidization and adaptation: an evolutionary strategy among pteridophytes with a reference to Ophioglossum L. Nucleus 56: 69–80.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK and Chandorkar, MS (1994) Highly conserved DNA sequence in Isoetes pantii . Indian Fern Journal 11: 53–55.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK, Chang, SI and Lee, IH (2000) Abrupt DNA Methylation might have been responsible for origin of Heterosory. Bionature 20: 1–8.Google Scholar
Goswami, HK and Khandelwal, S (1976) Free aminoacids in Ophioglossum leaves at the time of spike initiation. Israel Journal of botany 25: 211–213.Google Scholar
Gottlieb, OR, Kaplan, MAC, Zocher, DHT and Kubitzki, K (1991) A chemosystematic overview of pteridophytes and gymnosperms. In: Kubitzki, K (ed.) The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. Kramer KU and Green PS (eds), Vol. I Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Berlin Heidelberg/New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House and Springer Verlag, pp. 2–10.Google Scholar
Gracelin, DHS, De Britto, AJ and Kumar, PB (2012) Antibacterial screening of a few medicinal ferns against antibiotic resistant phytopathogen. IJ PSR 3: 868–873.Google Scholar
Gu, W et al. (2013) Application of the ITS2 Region for Barcoding Medicinal Plants of Selaginellaceae in Pteridophyta. Published: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0067818 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guha (Ghosh), P, Gupta, K and Mukhopadhyay, R (2006) Impact of seasons on some biochemical parameters in three adiantoid ferns. Indian Journal of Plant Physiology 11: 152–159. (April–June).Google Scholar
Guha (Ghosh), P, Mukhopadhyay, R and Gupta, K (2005) Antifungal activity of crude extracts and extracted phenols from gametophytic and sporophytic plant parts of two species of Adiantum L. Taiwania 50: 272–283.Google Scholar
Guha (Ghosh), P, Mukhopadhyay, R, Pal, PK and Gupta, K (2004) Antimicrobial activity of crude extracts and extracted phenols from gametophyte and sporophytic plant parts of Adiantum capillus-veneris L. Allelopathy Journal 13: 57–66.Google Scholar
Harris, ESJ (2008) Ethnobryology: traditional uses and folk classification of Bryophytes. Bryologist 111: 169–217.Google Scholar
Harris, ESJ (2009) Phylogenetic and environmental liability of flavonoids in a medicinal moss. Biochemical Systemics and Ecology 37: 180–192.Google Scholar
Haufler, CH (2008) Species and speciation. In: Ranker, TA and Haufler, CH (eds) Biology and Evolution of Ferns and Lycophytes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 303–331.Google Scholar
Hernandez, CJ and Volpata, G (2004) Herbal mixtures in the traditional medicine of Eastern Cuba. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 90: 293–316.Google Scholar
Hirano, K, Aya, K, Matsuoka, M and Ueguchi-Tanaka, M (2012) Molecular determinants that convert hormone sensitive lipase into gibberellin receptor. Protein and Peptide Letters 19: 180–185.Google Scholar
Hirasawa, Y, Matsuya, R, Shaari, K, Lajis, NH, Uchiyama, N, Goda, Y and Morita, H (2012) Lycobelines A-C, novel C16N2-type lycopodium alkaloids from Huperzia goebelii . Tetrahedron Letters 53: 3971–3973.Google Scholar
Ho, R, Teai, T, Bianchini, J, Lafont, R and Raharivelomanana, P (2011) Ferns: from traditional uses to pharmaceutical development, chemical identification of active principles. In: Fernandez, H, Kumar, A and Revilla, MA (eds) Working with Ferns Issues and Applications. Berlin Heidelberg/New York: Springer Science, pp. 321–346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hopkins, WG, Norman, P and Huner, A (2001) The physiology of plants under stress. In: Introduction to Plant Physiology. 3rd edn. USA: John Wiley and Sons, pp. 528.Google Scholar
Horvath, AF, Alvadarado, J, Szocs, ZN, De Alvarado, and Padilla, G (1967) Metabolic effects of calaguline, an antitumoral saponin of Polypodium leucomotos . Nature 214: 1256–1258.Google Scholar
Hosagoudar, VB and Henry, AB (1993) Plants used in birth control and reproductive ailments by Soligas of Bhilgiri Rangana Betta in Mysore District of Karnataka. Ethnobotany 5: 117–118.Google Scholar
Joseph, HL, Manickam, VS and Gopalakrishnan, S (2003) Phytochemical studies on the dryopteridaceous ferns on the Western Ghats- South India. Indian Fern Journal 20: 97–104.Google Scholar
Kato, M (2009) Hybrids in Osmunda subgenus Osmunda (Osmundaceae). Bulletin of the National Museum of Nature and Science, Series B (Botany) 35: 63–69.Google Scholar
Kaushik, P and Dhiman, AK (1995) Common medicinal pteridophytes. Indian Fern Journal 12: 139–145.Google Scholar
Khandelwal, S and Goswami, HK (1976) Amino acid differentiation in Ophioglossum L. by paper Chromatography. Current Science 45: 62–63.Google Scholar
Khandelwal, S, Goswami, HK and Chatterjee, AK (1980) Nitrogen and oil contents in Ophioglossum L. Journal of Indian Botanical Society 59: 78–80.Google Scholar
Kumar, A and Kaushik, P (1999) Antibacterial activity of Adiantum capillus- veneris. Liyan, Sun Ling –yan, Zhang Huiyun and Chen Jun. 2009. Indian Fern Journal 16: 1–2.Google Scholar
Kumar, M, Ramesh, M and Sequiera, S (2001) Medicinal pteridophytes of Kerala, South India. Indian Fern Journal 20: 1–28.Google Scholar
Kumari, P (2011) Some ethno-medicinally important pteridophytes of India. International Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants 1: 18–22.Google Scholar
Lal, B, Vats, S, Singh, RD and Gupta, AK (1996) Plants used as ethnomedicine and supplementary foodby Gaddis of Himachalpradesh, India. In: Jain, SK (ed.) Ethnobiology in Human Welfare. New Delhi: Deep Publications, pp. 384–387.Google Scholar
Laware, S and Limaye, A (2012) Adiantum A Medicinal Herb: An Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Potentials of Adiantum. Paperback. Lap Lambert, UK: Academic Publishers, pp. 124.Google Scholar
Lee, CH and Shin, SL (2011) Functional activities of Ferns. In: Fernández, H, Kumar, A and Revilla, MA (eds) Working with Ferns: Issues and Applications. New York, Dordrecht, Heidelberg, London: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011, pp. 347–359.Google Scholar
Lee, CW, Choi, HJ, Kim, HS, Kim, DH, Chang, IS, Moon, HT, Lee, SY, Oh, WK and Woo, ER (2008) Biflavonoids isolated from Selaginella tamariscina regulate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase in human skin fibroblast. Biorganic and Medicinal Chemistry 16: 732–738.Google Scholar
Leitch, AR and Leitch, IJ (2012) Ecological and genetic factors linked to contrasting genome dynamics in seed plants. New Phytologist 194: 629e646.Google Scholar
Leitch, IJ and Bennett, MD (2004) Genome downsizing in polyploid plants. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 82: 651–663.Google Scholar
Li, F-W and Pryer, KM (2014). Crowdfunding the Azolla fern genome project: a grassroots approach. Giga Science 3: 16.Google Scholar
Li, SZ (2004) Compedium of Materia Medica. Beijing: People's Health Press.Google Scholar
Li, W, Shi, Y, Liu, J and Cai, Y (2012) Occurrence of antibiotics in water, sediments, aquatic plants, and animals from Baiyangdian Lake in North China. Chemosphere 89: 1307–1315.Google Scholar
Lin, LC, Kuo, YC and Chou, CJ (2000) Cytotoxic biflavonoids from Selaginella delicatula . Journal of Natural Products 63: 627–630.Google Scholar
Liu, B, Diaz, F, Bohlin, L and Vasange, M (1998) Quantitative determination of anti-inflammatory principles in some Polypodium species as a basis for standardization. Phytomedicine 5: 1487–194.Google Scholar
Lopez, A, Hudson, JB and Towers, GHN (2001) Antiviral and antimicrobial activities of Adiantum latifolium . Journal of Ethno Pharmacology 77: 189–196.Google Scholar
Ma, LY, Ma, SC, Feng, W, Lin, RC, But, PPH, Lee, SHS and Lee, SF (2003) Uncinoside A and B, two new antiviral chromone glycosides from Selaginella uncinata . Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 51: 1264–1267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ma, X, Tan, C, Zhu, D, Gang, DR and Xiao, P (2007) Huperzine A from Huperzia species-an ethnopharmacological review. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 113: 15–34.Google Scholar
Mandal, A and Mondal, AK (2011) Studies on antimicrobial activities of some selected ferns and lycophytes in Eastern India with special emphasis on ethno-medicinal uses. African Journal of Plant Sciences 5: 412–420.Google Scholar
Mandal, A, Purakayastha, TJ, Patra, AK and Sanyal, SK (2012a) Phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated soil by Pteris vittata L. II. Effect on arsenic uptake and rice yield. International Journal of Phytoremediation 14: 621–628.Google Scholar
Mandal, A, Purakayastha, TJ, Patra, AK and Sanyal, SK (2012b) Phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated soil by Pteris vittata L. I. Influence of phosphatic fertilizers and repeated harvests. International Journal of Phytoremediation 14: 978–995.Google Scholar
Manickam, VS, Benniamin, A and Irudayaraj, V (2005) Antibacterial activity of leaf glands of Christella paronitica (L) Lev. Indian Fern Journal 27: 87–88.Google Scholar
Mannan, MM, Maridass, M and Victor, B (2008) A review on the potential uses of ferns. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 281–285.Google Scholar
Maruzzella, JC (1961) Antimicrobial substances from ferns. Nature 191: 518–519.Google Scholar
Matamoros, V, Loc Xuan, N, Arias, CA, Salvado, V and Brix, H (2012) Evaluation of aquatic plants for removing polar microcontaminants: a microcosm experiment. Chemosphere 88: 1257–1264. [Salvinia molesta].Google Scholar
Matia-Merino, L, Goh, KKT and Singh, H (2012) A natural shear-thickening water-soluble polymer from the fronds of the black tree fern, Cyathea medullaris: influence of salt, pH and temperature. Carbohydrate Polymers 87: 131–138.Google Scholar
May, LW (1978) The economic uses and associated folklore of ferns and fern allies. Botanical Review 44: 491–528.Google Scholar
Mazumdar, RC (1952) Ancient India. India: Calcutta (Re-published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1977, pp. 538.Google Scholar
Mehltreter, K, Walker, IR and Sharpe, JM (eds) (2010) Fern Ecology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 444.Google Scholar
Mickell, LG (1959) Antimicrobial activity of vascular plants . New York, Ecological Botany 13: 281–318.Google Scholar
Misra, R and Verma, DL (2009) 5-O-glycosylated flavonols from Cheilanthes grisea . New York Science Journal 2: 93–95.Google Scholar
Misra, R and Verma, DL (2010) Flavone 5-O-glycosides from Cheilanthes dalhousiae (Hook.). New York Science Journal 8: 139–143.Google Scholar
Mithraja, MJ, Marimuthu, J, Mahesh, M, Paul, MZ and Jeeva, S (2011) Phytochemical studies on Azolla pinnata R. Br., Marsilea minuta L. and Salvinia molesta Mitch. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 5: S26–S29.Google Scholar
Mittal, TC and Bir, SS (2006) The indian subsitutes of male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) schott – I. taxonomy and drug macroscopy. Indian Fern Journal 23: 133–187.Google Scholar
Morais-Braga, MFB, Souza, TM, Santos, KKA, Andrade, JC, Guedes, GMM, Tintino, SR, Sobral-Souza, CE, Costa, JGM, Menezes, IRA, Saraiva, AAF and Coutinho, HDM (2012a) Antimicrobial and modulatory activity of ethanol extract of the leaves from Lygodium venustum Sw. American Fern Journal 102: 154–160.Google Scholar
Morais-Braga, MFB, Souza, TM, Santos, KKA, Guedes, GMM, Andrade, JC, Tintino, SR, Sobral-Souza, CE, Costa, JGM, Saraiva, AAF and Coutinho, HDM (2012b) Phenolic compounds and interaction between aminoglycosides and natural products of Lygodium venustum Sw. against multiresistant bacteria. Chemotherapy 58: 337–340.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morajkar, S, Sajeev, S and Hegde, S (2015) Ferns: a thriving group of Urban dwellers. Bionature 35: 13–21.Google Scholar
Mukhopadhyaya, R (2012) Phytochemistry and medicinal uses of some pteridophytes. In: Keshri, JP and Mukhopadhyay, R (eds) Medicinal Plants: Various Perspectives, Burdwan, West Bengal (India): Burdwan University, pp. 119–128.Google Scholar
Nagl, W (1991) Two human DNA sequence (Aromatase : centromere) detected in Phaseolus (Fabaceae) by respective blot and in situ hybridization. Polish Botanical Studies 2: 159–164.Google Scholar
Nakazato, T, Barker, MS, Rieseberg, LH and Gastony, GJ (2008) Evolution of the nuclear genome of ferns and lycophytes. In: Ranker, TA and Haufler, CH (eds) Biology and Evolution of Ferns and Lycophytes. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Nakazato, T, Jung, MK, Housworth, EA, Rieseberg, LH and Gastony, GJ (2006). Genetic map-based analysis of genome structure in the homosporous fern Ceratopteris richardii . Genetics 173: 1585–1597.Google Scholar
Narasimhulu, M, Ashalata, K, SriLaxmi, P, Sarma, AVS, Rama Rao, B and Kavi Kishor, PV (2010) http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080.Google Scholar
Nayar, BK (1959) Medicinal ferns of India. Bulletin National Botanical Garden. Lucknow 29: 1–36.Google Scholar
Noudogbessi, J-P, Pascal, A, Yehouenou, B, Adjalian, E, Nonviho, G, Akibou Osseni, M, Wotto, V, Figueredo, G, Chalchat, J-C and Dominique, S (2013) Physicochemical properties of Hyptis suaveolens essential oil. International Journal of Medicine and Aromatic Plants 3: 191–199.Google Scholar
Nwosu, MO (2002) Ethnobotanical studies on some pteridophytes of southern Nigeria. Economic Botany 56: 255–259.Google Scholar
Okada, S, Sone, T, Fujisawa, M, Nakayama, S, Takenaka, M, Ishizaki, K, Kono, K, Shimizu-Ueda, Y, Hanajiri, T, Yamato, KT, Fukuzawa, H, Brennicke, A and Ohyama, K (2001) The Y chromosome in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha has accumulated unique repeat sequences harboring a male-specific gene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 98: 9454–9459.Google Scholar
Page, CN (1979) The diversity of ferns, an ecological perspective. In: Dyer, AF (ed.) The Experimental Biology of Ferns. London: Academic Press, pp. 9–56.Google Scholar
Pal, SK (2013) Study of antimicrobial activity of different plant parts of ferns. Indian Journal of Biological Studies and Research 2: 134–138.Google Scholar
Pan, KY, Lin, JL and Chen, JS (2001) Several reversible bone marrow suppression induced by Selaginella doederleinii . Journal of toxicology 39: 637–639.Google Scholar
Pandey, AK and Bhargava, KS (1980) Antiviral activity of crude extracts of some pteridophytes. Indian Fern Journal 3: 132–133.Google Scholar
Pandey, DK (1994) Inhibition of Salvinia (Salvinia molesta Mitchell) by Parthenium) Parthenium hyhysterophorus L) II. Relative effect of flower, leaf, stem and root residue on Salvinia and paddy. Journal of Chemical Ecology 20: 3123–3131.Google Scholar
Pandey, RP, Rasingam, L and Lakra, GS (2009) Ethnomedicinal plants of the Aborigines in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India. Nelumbo 51: 5–40.Google Scholar
Pang, AW, Macdonald, JR, Yuen, RK, Hayes, VM and Scherer, SW (2014) Performance of high-throughput sequencing for the discovery of genetic variation across the complete size spectrum. G3 (Bethesda) 4: 63–65.Google Scholar
Parihar, P and Parihar, L (2006) Some pteridophytes of medicinal importance from Rajasthan. Natural Product Radiance 5: 297–301.Google Scholar
Parihar, P, Parihar, L and Bohra, A (2004) Antifungal activity of Cheilanthes albomarginata Clarke and Marsilea minuta Linn. against Aspergillus flavus . Indian Fern Journal 21: 140–143.Google Scholar
Pastene, E, Avello, M, Letelier, ME, Sanzana, E, Vega, M and Gonzalez, M (2007). Preliminary studies on antioxidant and anti-cataract activities of Cheilanthes glauca (Cav.) Mett. through various in vitro models. Electronic Journal of Food and Plants Chemistry 2: 1–8.Google Scholar
Patric, RD, Manickam, VS, Britto, AJD, Gopalakrishnan, S, Ushioda, TM, Tanimura, A, Fuchino, H and Tanaka, N (1995) Chemical and chemotaxonomical studies on dicranopteroid species. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 43: 1800–1803.Google Scholar
Paul, T, Das, B, Apte, KG, Banerjee, S and Saxena, RC (2012) Evaluation of Anti-Hyperglycemic Activity of Adiantum Philippense Linn, a Pteridophyte in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats. Journal of Diabetes and Metabolism 3: 1–8.Google Scholar
Pielesz, A (2012) Vibrational spectroscopy and electrophoresis as a ‘Golden means’ in monitoring of polysaccharides in medical plant and gels. Spectrochimica Acta Part A. Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 93: 63–69.Google Scholar
Plackett, ARG, Rabbinowitsch, EH and Langdale, JA (2015) Protocol: genetic transformation of the fern Ceratopteris richardii through microparticle bombardment. Plant Methods 11: 1–10.Google Scholar
Pryer, KM, Schneider, H, Smith, AR, Cranl, R, Wolf, PG, Jeffrey, S, Hunt, JS and Sipes, SD (2001) Horsetails and ferns are a monphyletic group and the closest living relatives to seed plants. Nature 409: 618–621.Google Scholar
Pryer, KM, Schuettpelz, E, Wolf, PG, Schneider, H, Smith, AR and Cranfill, R (2004) Phylogeny of ferns (monilophytes) with a focus on the early leptosporangiate divergences. American Journal of Botany 91: 1582–1598.Google Scholar
Puri, GS and Arora, RK (1961) Some medicinal ferns from Western India. Indian Forester 87: 179–183.Google Scholar
Puri, HS (1970) Indian pteridophytes used in folk remedies. American Fern Journal 60: 137–142.Google Scholar
Quisumbing, E (1951) Medicinal Plants of the Philippines. Manila Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Bulletin 16. Philippines (Republic): Manila Bureau of Printing.Google Scholar
Radhika, NK, Sreejith, PS and Asha, VV (2010) Cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of Cheilanthes farinosa (Forsk.) Kaulf against human Hep 3B cells. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 128: 166–171.Google Scholar
Rai, S, Yadav, SK, Mathur, K and Goyal, G (2016) A Review article on Adiantum incisum . World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 5: 861–867.Google Scholar
Rathore, D and Sharma, BD (1988) Ferns of Mt. Abu (Rajasthan)- study of proline in relation to stress. Phytomorphology 38: 259–261.Google Scholar
Rathore, D and Sharma, BD (1991) Phytochemistry of Rajasthan pteridophytes: study of leaf pigments in relation to stress. Indian Fern Journal 8: 9–13.Google Scholar
Remesh, M, Kumar, M and Manilal, KS (2001) Medicinal pteridophytes in Rheed's Hortus Malabaricus. Indian Fern Journal 20: 51–59.Google Scholar
Renzaglia, KS, Duff, RJ, Nickrent, DL and Garbary, DJ (2000) Vegetative and reproductive innovations of early land plants; implications for a unified phylogeny. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, series B 355: 769–793.Google Scholar
Sah, NK, Singh, SMP, Sahdev, S, Banerji, S, Jha, V, Khan, Z and Hasnain, SE (2005) Indian herb ‘Sanjeevani’ (Selaginella Bryopteris) can promote growth and protect against heat shock and apoptotic activities of ultra violet and oxidative stress. Journal of Biosciences 30: 499–505.Google Scholar
Sarin, YK (1990) Some less known but effective folk medicines in North West Himalayan region. Ethnobotany 2: 39–43.Google Scholar
Schneider, H, Schuettpelz, E, Pryer, KM, Cranfill, R, Magallon, S and Lupia, R (2004) Ferns diversified in the shadow of angiosperms. Nature 428: 553–557.Google Scholar
Schor-Fumbarov, T, Goldsbrough, PB, Adam, Z and Tel-Or, E (2005) Characterization and expression of a metallothionein gene in the aquatic fern Azolla filiculoides under heavy metal stress. Planta 223: 69–76.Google Scholar
Sen, S, Nandi, P (1951) Antibiotics from the pteridophytes. Science and Culture 16: 328–329.Google Scholar
Sessa, EB and Der, JP (2016) Evolutionary genomics of ferns and lycophytes. In: Rensing, SA (ed.) Genomes and Evolution of Charophytes, Bryophytes, and Ferns. Advances in Botanical Research, vol. 78. ISBN: 9780128011027. New York: Academic Press, pp. 215–254.Google Scholar
Sharma, BD, Rathore, D and Harsh, R (1995) Phytochemistry in relation to ecology of Rajasthan pteridophytes. In: Chawan, DD (ed.) Environment and Adaptive Biology of Plants. Prof. D. N. Sen Commemoration. Jodhpur: Scientific Publishers.Google Scholar
Shin, SL and Lee, CH (2010) Antioxidant effects of the methanol extracts obtained from aerial part and rhizomes of ferns native to Korea. Korean Journal of Plant Research 23: 38–46.Google Scholar
Shinozaki, J, Shibuya, M, Masuda, K and Ebizuka, Y (2008) Squalene cyclase and oxidosqualene cyclase from a fern. FEBS Letters 582: 310–318.Google Scholar
Shon, Y-H, Nam, K-S and Kim, M-K (2004) Cancer chemopreventive potential of Scenedesmus spp. Cultured in medium containing Gioreacted swine urine. Journal of Microbiology and Giotechnology 14: 158–161.Google Scholar
Singh, DK (2011) Plant Discoveries 2010. New Genera, Species and New Records. Govt. of India, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Botanical Survey of India, New Delhi.Google Scholar
Singh, HB (1999) Potential medicinal pteridophytes of India and their chemical constituents. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 23: 63–78.Google Scholar
Singh, KK and Maheswari, JK (1992). Traditional herbal remedies among Tharus of Bahraich District, U.P. India. Ethnobotany 1: 51–56.Google Scholar
Singh, KK, Saha, S and Maheswari, JK (1989) Traditional herbal remedies among Tharus of Bahraich District, U.P. India. Ethnobotany 1: 51–56.Google Scholar
Singh, M, Govindarajan, R, Rawat, AKS and Khare, PB (2008b) Antimicrobial flavonoid rutin from Pteris vittata L against pathogenic gastrointestinal microflora. American Fern Journal 98: 98–103.Google Scholar
Singh, M, Singh, N, Khare, PB and Rawat, AKS (2008a) Antimicrobial activity of some important Adiantum species used traditionally in indigenous systems of medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 115: 327–329.Google Scholar
Smith, AR, Pryer, KM, Schuettpelz, E, Korall, P, Schneider, H and Wolf, PG (2006) A classification for extant ferns. Taxon 55: 705–731.Google Scholar
Srilaxmi, P, Sareddy, GR, Kavi Kishor, PB, Oruganti Hussainaiah Setty, OH and Babu, PP (2010) Protective efficacy of natansnin, a dibenzoyl glycoside from Salvinia natans against CCl4 induced oxidative stress and cellular degeneration in rat liver. BMC Pharmacology 10: 13. Published online 2010 Oct 12. doi: 10.1186/1471-2210-10-13 PMCID: PMC2967507.Google Scholar
Srivastava, S and Paul, AK (2016) Associated microflora of medicinal ferns: biotechnological potentials and possible applications. International Journal of Bioassays 5: 4927–4943.Google Scholar
Sun, CM, Wan, JS, Huang, Y-T, Chen, CC and Ou, JC (1997) Selective cytotoxicity of Ginkgetin from Selaginella moellendorffii . Journal of Natural Products 60: 382–384.Google Scholar
Tiwary, BK and Ganguly, G (2016) Phytochemical contents and antimicrobial effects of ethnomedicinal plant Adiantum incisum Forsk. Bionature 36: 47–50.Google Scholar
Tsutsumi, C, Matsumoto, S, Yatabe-Kakugawa, Y, Hirayama, Y and Kato, M (2011) A new allotetraploid species of Osmunda (Osmundaceae). Systematic Botany 36: 836–834.Google Scholar
Upreti, K, Jalal, JS, Tewari, LM, Joshi, GC, Pangtey, YPS and Tewari, G (2009) Ethnomedicinal uses of pteridophytes of Kumaon Himalaya., Uttarakhand, India. Journal of American Science 5: 167–170.Google Scholar
Vyas, MS, Rathore, D and Sharma, BD (1989) Phytochemistry of Rajasthan pteridophytes- study of phenols in relation to stress. Indian Fern Journal 6: 244–246.Google Scholar
Wallace, RA, Sander, GP and Ferl, RJ (1991) Biology: the Science of Life. New York: HarperCollins, pp. 547–555.Google Scholar
Wani, MH, Shah, MY and Naqshi, AR (2016) Medicinal Ferns of Kashmir, India. International Journal of Bioassays 5: 4677–4685. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21746/ijbio.2016.07.003 Google Scholar
Wells, S (2002) The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey. Princeton, USA: Priceton Press, ISBN 0-691-11532-X.Google Scholar
Wolf, PG, Sessa, EB, Marchant, DB, Li, F-W, Rothfels, CJ, Sigel, EM and Der, JP (2015) An exploration into fern genome space. Genome Biology and Evolution 7: 2533–2544.Google Scholar
Wong, YH, Long, CL, Yang, FM, Wang, X, Sun, QU, Wang, HS, Shi, YN and Tang, GH (2009) Pyrrolodinoindoline Alkaloids from Selaginella moellendorffi . Journal of Natural Products 72: 1151–1154.Google Scholar
Wyatt, R (1992) Conservation of rare and endangered bryophytes: input from population genetics. Biological Conservation 59: 99–107.Google Scholar
Yang, JW, Pokharel, YR, Kim, MR, Woo, ER, Choi, HK and Kang, KW (2006) Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase by sumaflavone isolated from Selaginella tamariscina . Journal of Ethnopharmacology 105: 107–113.Google Scholar
Yonathan, M, Asres, K and Bucar, F (2006) In vivo anti-inflammatory and anti- nociceptive activities of Cheilanthes farinosa . Journal of Ethnopharmacology 108: 462–470.Google Scholar
Zheng, JX, Zheng, Y, Dai, Y, Wang, NL, Fang, YX, Du, ZY, Zhao, SQ, Zhang, K, Wu, LY and Fan, M (2016) Flavone di-glycosides from Selaginella uncinata and their antioxidative activities. Chemistry of Natural Compounds 52: 306–308.Google Scholar
Zhu, DY, Tang, XC and Lin, C (1999) Huperzine, a derivate, their preparation and their use. US Patent 592908407/27/1999.Google Scholar
Zhu, DY, Tang, XC and Lin, C (2000) Huperzine, a derivate, their preparation and their use. Chinese patent.Google Scholar