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Botany
Alambrillo is an evergreen fern
with a short, ascending, and scaly rhizome with spirally arranged, stipitate
and compound leaves. Stipes are suberect and rather slender, 10 to 20 cm long, polished and dark green. Fronds are bipinnate, with a short terminal pinna and numerous erect lateral ones on each side; the segments (pinnae) are 1 to 2.5 cm broad, the base being cuneate and the outer edge rounded. Sori are roundish, situated in the roundish sinuses of the crenations.
 Constituents
- Phytochemical studies have shown triterpenes, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids
and carotenoids.
- Study isolated two new migrated hopane triterpenoids, the first example of oleanane compounds from Adiatrum ferns.
- Study yielded two triterpenic compounds, Davallene 1 and Adipedatol
2, from the roots of Mexican Adiantum capillus-veneris.
Properties
Emmenagogue, expectorant,
aperitive, diuretic, astringent, febrifuge, emollient.
Antidandruff, antitussive, demulcent, depurative, emetic, galactagogue, laxative, stimulant and tonic.
Distribution
Grows in shady, moist
places. Usually, flower-pot cultivation for ornamental purposes.
Parts
used
Leaves, rhizomes.
Uses
Folkloric
Decoction of leaves (fronds)
as tea for chest afflictions, colds, coughs, snoring.
Promotes appetite and digestive aid. Also, gently laxative;
Decoction of rhizomes as tea for cough, respiratory problems, fevers,
and abdominal colic.
Externally, for a variety of skin diseases and inflammatory conditiions.
It is used as a postpartum tonic, in doses of two tablespoons every
two hours.
Regulates menstruation.
Used as a lotion for falling hair and baldness.
In Peruvian Amazon, fronds
as infusion or syrup used as diurectic, expectorant and emmenagogue.
In the Peruvian Andes, shamans and healers use a decoction of rhizome for alopecia, gallstones, and jaunjdice.
In the Brazilian Amazon, used as expectorant for bronchitis and coughs.
In Pakistan, the plant
is used for diabetes.
In India, fresh or dried leafy fronds are used as antidandruff, antitussive, demulcent, depurative, emetic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, galactagogue, laxative, stimulant and tonic. Tea or syrup used for cougs, throat affliction, and bronchitis. Also, as detoxicant in alcholism and to expel worms. Externally, used as poultice for snake bites and bee stings.
In Ayurveda, Adiantum spp. used for colds, tumors of the liver and spleen
skin diseases, bronchitis and inflammatory diseases.
 Studies
• Antimicrobial:
(1) Study on the aerial part of Salsala rasmarinus and Adiantum capillus
reported the presence of antimicrobial flavonoids. (2) In a study of Adiantum species, A capillus-veneris was next to
A venustum in degree of activity as antimicrobial agent. ACV had very los MIV value against E coli.
• Antibacterial Activity of Essential
Oils : A lemon yellow colored essential oil was extracted
from the leaves of AC which exhibited maximum inhibitory activity against
S typhi; mild antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas species, Klebsiella
pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes.
• Antidiabetic / Metal Content:
Study focused on the hypoglycemic effects and metal contents of plants.
Iron and chromium were found in all anti-diabetic herbs, including A capillus. Water
soluble lead was high in A. capillus. The water extracts of plants were found to be better hypoglycemics than the acid digested part with its higher metal content. Study concluded that the metal
content did not have any particular relation to the antidiabetic effect
of the herbs.
• Antimicrobial / Phenolic Content:
Study of methanolic extracts of Adiantum spp. showed Adiantum capillus-veneris
activity against E. coli, activity probably due to its high phenolic
content.
• Anti-Fungal:
The water extracts and extracted phenols from gametophytes and sporophytes of two ferns – A capillus-veneris and Adiantum lunulatum were tested for antifungal activities against Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer. Activity was found higher in the gametophytes and ACV was found a better antifungal than AL.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
Cultivated |
