Pakpak-lauin is a local name for three different herbal plant s, two of the genus Asplenium and one of genus Drynaria: Pakpak-lauin: Asplenium nidus; Pakpak-lauin na babae: Asplenium macrophyllum; and Pakpak lawin: Drynaria quercifloia. The two of the genus Asplenium are presented in this page.
Note: There are some dissimilarities in Quisumbing's 1978 publication of Medicinal Plants of the Philippines and the Plants of the Philippines 1964 publication by the University of the Philippines. The former refers to Asplenium nidus as pakpak-lauin and the latter as pasdak; both refer to it as Bird's nest fern. The Plants of the Philippines publication has a Pakpak lawin entree with the scientific designation of Drynaria quercifolia.
Family • Aspleniaceae
Pakpak-lauin
Asplenium nidus Linn.
BIRD'S NEST FERN

Scientific names Common names
Asplenium nidus Linn. Pakpak-lauin (Tag.)
  Pasdak (Tag)
  Dapo (Tag., other dialiects)
  Bird's-nest fern (Engl.)

Botany
· A huge herbaceous epiphyte at minor or moderate altitudes. It has an entangled rhizome with a mass of roots below and erect flaring leaves from the crown aggregated in a dense tuft above.
· Broad and numerous leaves radiate from the center of the plant giving the appearance of a bird's nest. Leaves are spiral, leathery, smooth, lance-shaped with entire margins, sharply pointed tips and broad bases. They often attain a large size, up to nearly 2 meters long and 60 cm wide.
· The sori are elongate running along the line of the veinlets. The spores are bilateral, monolete with a perispore.

Distribution
common throughout the Philippines at low and medium altitudes.
Cultivated as a hanging plant.
Grown extensively in other countries as an ornament.

Parts utilized
Leaves

 Uses
Folkloric
• The plant has been reported to be depurative (purifying) and sedative.
• In French Polynesia, used for stings and bites, contraception, chest pains and lice. (Source)
• In Hawaii, part of an asthma regimen, mixed and pounded together with flowers of ki, mixed with po. (Details) Shoots used for general debility, sores, ulcers. (source)

Studies
• Estrogenic Activity: Maternity and medicinal plants in Vanuatu II. Pharmacological screening of five selected species: Five plant species, including A nidus, were studied for possible estrogenic activity.
• Antibacterial Activity: In a study of five medicinal ferns, including Aspenium nidus, all showed antibacterial activity which may justify its use in traditional medicine.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Cultivated.


Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Maternity and medicinal plants in Vanuatu II. Pharmacological screening of five selected species / Journal of Ethnopharmacology • Volume 52, Issue 3, 5 July 1996, Pages 139-143 / G. Bourdya, C. Françoisb, C. Andaryc and M. Boucard
(2)
Antioxidative, Tyrosinase Inhibiting and Antibacterial Activities of Leaf Extracts from Medicinal Ferns / How Yee Lai et al / Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry • Vol. 73 (2009) , No. 6 pp.1362-1366
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Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Maternity and medicinal plants in Vanuatu II. Pharmacological screening of five selected species / Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Volume 52, Issue 3, 5 July 1996, Pages 139-143 / G. Bourdya, C. Françoisb, C. Andaryc and M. Boucard
•