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Family Aspleniaceae

Pakpak-lawin na babae
Asplenium macrophyllum Swartz.
LARGE-LEAVED SPLEENWORT

Scientific names Common names
Asplenium capuronii Tardieu Buntot-kapon (Tag.)
Asplenium macrophyllum Swartz. Culantrillo (Buk.)
  Pako (Palawan, Tag., Mbo., Iban.)
  Pakong-gubat (Tag.)
  Pakpak-lawin na babae (Tag.)
  Large-leaved spleenwort (Engl.)
Pakpak-lauin is a local name for three different herbal plants, 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.
Pakong-gubat is a common names shared by: (1) Pityrogtamma calomelanos, Silverback fern, and (2) Asplenium macrophyllum, Large-leaved spleenwort.
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.
Asplenium macrophyllum Sw. is an accepted name. The Plant List


Botany
Pakpak-lawin na babae is an epiphytic, lithophytic or terrestrial fern. Rootstock is short and covered with linear-lanceolate, acuminate scales. Stipes are tufted, rigid, erect, brown, glabrous or nearly so, 3 to 30 centimeters long. Fronds are simply pinnate, oblong in outline, 7 to 40 centimeters long; pinnate opposite or alternate, 2 to 12 centimeters on each side, 2 to 15 centimeters long, 1 to 3 centimeters wide, lanceolate. Sori are in close, long, parallel, oblique lines reaching from the midrib nearly to the margin.

Distribution
- Widely distributed in dry thickets in the Philippines, from northern Luzon to Mindanao.
- Also in tropical Asia to Polynesia.

Properties
Diuretic.

Parts utilized
Leaves.

Uses
Folkloric
• Decoction of the fronds is a diuretic. Also used for the treatment of dysuria and bladder complaints associated with beri-beri.
• In India, fronds used as diuretic for conditions with defective urination.

• In India, leaf decoction used as laxative, emetic, diuretic, anthelmintic, and for treatment of ophthalmia, jaundice, and splenic diseases. (4)

Studies
No studies found.


Availability
- Wild-crafted.


Updated September 2020 / May 2018 / June 2015

                                                   PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS
IMAGE SOURCE: Asplenium Macrophyllum. / E. Lowe / 1855-1860 / 18-19th Century Prints ca/ The Old Print Shop

OTHER IMAGE SOURCE: Vintage monochrome botanical print showing Asplenium Macrophyllum Swartz. / Printed in Tokyo, Japan, 1936 / Etsy

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Maternity and medicinal plants in Vanuatu II. Pharmacological screening of five selected species / G. Bourdya, C. Françoisb, C. Andaryc and M. Boucard / Journal of Ethnopharmacology • Volume 52, Issue 3, 5 July 1996, Pages 139-143.

(2)
A Review on the Potential Uses of Ferns / M Mannar Mannan, M Maridass and B Victor / Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 281-285. 2008.
(3)
A. macrophyllum / Ed. by William H Brown / Minor Products of Philippine Forests, Vol 1, No 3 / United States and Its Territories 1870-
(4)
Vascular Epiphytic Medicinal Plants as Sources of Therapeutic Agents: Their Ethnopharmacological Uses, Chemical Composition, and Biological Activities / Ari Satia Nugraha, Bawon Triatmoko, Phurpa Wangchuk, and Paul A Keller / Biomolecles, 2020 Feb; 10(2) / doi: 10.3390/biom10020181


 

                                                                          DOI
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                                                            List of Understudied Philippine Medicinal Plants

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