Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) SCHOTT |
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Botanical Name |
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Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) SCHOTT |
English
Name |
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Male Fern |
Synonym(s) |
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Polypodium filix-mas (L.), Nephrodium filix-mas ((L.) Strempel.), Lastrea filix-mas, Presl. Aspidium filix-mas, Swartz. |
Family |
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Dryopteridaceae |
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General Info
| Description |
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A perennial herbaceous plant, with a short, un-branched, subterranean rhizome about an inch in diameter, but apparently about 2½ inches, being entirely covered and concealed by the numerous hard, persistent, imbricated, dark-brown bases of the fronds, which are at first densely covered with numerous elongated, scarious, transparent, golden-brown, chaffy scales (ramenta), but afterwards bare; roots very numerous, filiform, cylindrical, long, slightly branched, dark brown, passing outwards from the rhizome, erect, somewhat curved outwards, and forming collectively a spreading plume, on long, stout, stiff, strongly channelled, pale brown stipes, at first closely covered for their whole length with numerous acute, chaffy, thin, trnasparent, pale-brownscales and hairs of various sizes and shapes, which soon fall off from the upper part, blade oblong-ovate or oval in outline, tapering to the apex, bipinnate or pinnate, rachis stiff, channelled, pale brown, with scattered hairs, pinnae alternate, very numerous, overlapping or separate, nearly sessile, linear-oblong in outline, truncate at the base, tapering and acute at the apex. |
| Herb Effects |
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The root stalks are anodyne, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, astringent, febrifuge, vermifuge, vulnerary, anthelmintic. |
Chemistry
| Active Ingredients |
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Albaspidin, aspidin, aspidinol, butyric acid, desaspidin, protocatechuic acid, (rhizome); Filicin, filixid acid, tannin, phloroglucin derivatives, traces of essential oil. |
| Chemistry
of Active Ingredients |
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Name |
CAS# |
IUPAC Name |
Formula |
Structure |
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| Filicin |
4482-83-1 |
2-butanoyl-4-[[3-but
anoyl-5-[(5-butanoyl
-2,6-dihydroxy-3,3-d
imethyl-4-
oxo-1-cy
clohexa-1,5-dienyl)m
ethyl]-2,4,6-trihydr
oxy-phenyl]methyl]-3
,5
-dihydroxy-6,6-d
imethyl-cyclohexa-2,
4-dien-1-one |
C36H44O12 |
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| Phloroglucin |
108-73-6 |
benzene-1,3,5-triol |
C6H6O3 |
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| Albaspidin |
58409-52-2 |
2-butanoyl-4-[(5-but
anoyl-2,6-dihydroxy-
3,3-dimethyl-4-oxo-1
-cyclohexa
-1,5-die
nyl)methyl]-3,5-dihy
droxy-6,6-dimethyl-c
yclohexa-2,4-dien-1-
on
e |
C25H32O8 |
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| Aspidin |
Not Available |
2-butanoyl-4-[(3-but
anoyl-2,6-dihydroxy-
4-methoxy-5-methyl-p
henyl)meth
yl]-3,5-
dihydroxy-6,6-dimeth
yl-cyclohexa-2,4-die
n-1-one |
C25H32O8 |
|
| Aspidinol |
Not Available |
1-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-m
ethoxy-3-methyl-phen
yl)butan-1-one |
C12H16O4 |
|
| Butyric acid |
107-92-6 |
Butanoic acid |
C4H8O2 |
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| Desaspidin |
114-43-2 |
2-butanoyl-4-[(3-but
anoyl-2,4-dihydroxy-
6-methoxy-phenyl)met
hyl]-3,5-d
ihydroxy
-6,6-dimethyl-cycloh
exa-2,4-dien-1-one |
C24H30O8 |
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| Protocatechuic acid |
5417-95-8 |
N,N-diethyl-N'-(2,4,
8,9-tetrazabicyclo[4
.3.0]nona-2,4,7,10-t
etraen-5-y
l)propan
e-1,3-diamine |
C12H20N6 |
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| Tannin |
1401-55-4 |
Not Available |
C27H22O18 |
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Pharmacology
| Medicinal Use |
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Destroying intestinal worms and as a fungicide (on the skin). The male fern is one of the most popular and effective treatments for tape worms. The root contains an oleoresin that paralyses tapeworms and other internal parasites and has been used as a worm expellent. The root is also taken internally in the treatment of internal haemorrhage, uterine bleeding, mumps and feverish illnesses. Externally, the root is used as a poultice in the treatment of abscesses, boils, carbuncles and sores. |
| Contraindication |
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High dosages may induce blindness or death; juveniles and those with a history of liver problems should totally avoid this drug. |
| Reference |
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 Stary, Medicinal Herbs and Plants.
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Dealers
Products
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