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Phytochemicals from fern species: potential for medicine applications

Cao H 1 , Chai TT 2 , Wang X 3 , Morais-Braga MFB 4 , Yang JH 5 , Wong FC 2 Show all authors , Wang R 6 , Yao H 7 , Cao J 3 , Cornara L 8 , Burlando B 9 , Wang Y 6 , Xiao J 1 , Coutinho HDM 4

Affiliations 

  • 1 1College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002 China
  • 2 3Department of Chemical Science, Faculty of ScienceUniversiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900 Kampar, Malaysia
  • 3 4Department of Biology, Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin Rd, Shanghai, 200234 China
  • 4 5Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Regional University of Cariri-URCA, Crato, CE Brazil
  • 5 6Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091 China
  • 6 2Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau
  • 7 8School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, 221004 China
  • 8 10Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Polo Botanico, Università degli Studi di Genova, Corso Dogali 1M, 16136 Genoa, Italy
  • 9 11Dipartimento di Scienze e Innovazione Tecnologica, Università del Piemonte Orientale "Amedeo Avogadro", Viale Teresa Michel 11, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
Phytochem Rev, 2017;16(3):379-440.
PMID: 32214919 DOI: 10.1007/s11101-016-9488-7

Abstract

Ferns are an important phytogenetic bridge between lower and higher plants. Historically they have been used in many ways by humans, including as ornamental plants, domestic utensils, foods, and in handicrafts. In addition, they have found uses as medicinal herbs. Ferns produce a wide array of secondary metabolites endowed with different bioactivities that could potentially be useful in the treatment of many diseases. However, there is currently relatively little information in the literature on the phytochemicals present in ferns and their pharmacological applications, and the most recent review of the literature on the occurrence, chemotaxonomy and physiological activity of fern secondary metabolites was published over 20 years ago, by Soeder (Bot Rev 51:442-536, 1985). Here, we provide an updated review of this field, covering recent findings concerning the bioactive phytochemicals and pharmacology of fern species.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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