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ASPIDIUM
Source:Dryopteris.filix-mas(L.) Schott or
D. marginalis (L.) Gray (Family
Polypodiaceae).
Common/vernacular names:European aspi-
dium and male fern (D. filix-mas); American
aspidium and marginal fern (D. marginalis).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Both are stout perennial ferns with fronds up
to about 1 m long;D. filix-masis the larger of
the two. Sori inD. filix-masare large and near
the midvein, while those ofD. marginalisare
small and near the margin.Dryopteris filix-
masis found in Europe, Asia, North America,
South America, and South and northern
Africa; D.marginalisgrows in eastern and
central North America from Nova Scotia to
Georgia and Kansas. Parts used are the dried
rhizomes and stipes.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Most studies were done onD. filix-mas,which
contains6.5–15%oleoresin.Theoleoresincon-
tains not less than 24% of the active principles
filicin, which is a collective term for several
ether-soluble phloroglucides (filixic acids, fla-
vaspidic acids, paraaspadin, albaspidin, dcsas-
pidin, etc.);1,2aspidinol;n-alkanes from C 27 to
C 33 ,withC 29 and C 31 in major concentrations;
triterpene hydrocarbons (12-hopene, 11,13
(18)-hopadiene, 9(11)-fernene);^3 lignins;^4 vol-
atileoil,resins,andothers.Presenceofaspidinol
and desaspidin was not observed in one study.^2
Dryopterismarginalis contains margaspi-
din, flavaspidic acids. paraaspidin, phloraspin,
and others.5,6PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIESFilicin is anthelmintic (especially against tape-
worms), but it is a violent poison if absorbed.
Castor oil promotes its absorption in the gut
and should never be used with it as a laxative.
Poisoning symptoms include nausea, vomit-
ing, bloody diarrhea, dizziness, delirium, tre-
mors, convulsions, coma, respiratory or cardi-
ac failure, visual disturbances leading to
temporary or permanent blindness, and others.
Margaspidin hasbeen reportedto haveanti-
inflammatory activity in rats.^5
Extracts ofD. filix-masare active against
vesicular stomatitis virus in monkey cell
cultures.^7
Extracts containing phloroglucinols from
Dryopteris crassirhizomaNakai have antimi-
crobial activitiesin vitro^8 and antitumor ac-
tivities in transplanted tumors (ARS, S 180 ,
U 14 ,B 22 , etc.) in rats and micc.^954 Aspidium