Fern Journal

Pteridological Research 

Anti-Parasitic action of Actinopteris radiata, Acrostichum aureum and Hemionitis arifolia

R.Kalpana Devi, N.V.Rajesh, S.Vasantha1,and V.Sathia Geetha

Abstract

Actinopteris radiata, Acrostichum aureum and Hemionitis arifolia are ferns having medicinal value and are the first report on phytochemical analysis for anthelmintic property and confirmation with in-vitro and in-vivo clinical trials in naturally infected sheeps against Haemonchus contortus. Phytochemical studies of these 3 ferns showed Actinopteris radiata had strong positivity (++) for tannin and phenolic content, among the 13 phytoconstituents studied with varied solvents of ethanol, petroleum ether and aqueous extracts. In-vitro study confirmed lesser time taken for paralysis and death of Haemonchus contortus worm in Actinopteris radiata extract unlike, Acrostichum aureum and Hemionitis arifolia. In-vivo trials following Egg Per Gram count using Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test on day 0 (pre-treatment) and on day 5, 7, 9 (post-treatment) with these 3 ethanolic fern extracts revealed Actinopteris radiata had better efficacy (84%) than Acrostichum aureum (56%) and Hemionitis arifolia (49%).

Keywords: ethnobotany, Actinopteris radiata, Acrostichum aureum, Hemionitis arifolia

    DOWNLOAD PDF

Volume  No. 4(1)                                                                   June,2015