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Bandyopadhyay A, Dey A. Medicinal pteridophytes: ethnopharmacological, phytochemical, and clinical attributes. BENI-SUEF UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s43088-022-00283-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Almost from the very beginning of human existence, man has been interacting with plants. Throughout human history, plants have provided humans with basic needs such as sustenance, firewood, livestock feed, and wood. The world has approximately 3 million vascular plants. The treatment of primary health problems is provided primarily by traditional medicines by around 80% of the world's population. Compared to other vascular plants, pteridophytes remain underexplored in ethnobotanical aspects, despite being regarded as a valuable component of healthcare for centuries. As an alternative medicine, pteridophytes are being investigated for their pharmacological activity. Almost 2000 years ago, humans were exploring and using plant species from this lineage because of its beneficial properties since pteridophytes were the first vascular plants.
Main body of the abstract
All popular search engines such as PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were searched to retrieve the relevant literature using various search strings relevant to the topic. Pteridophytes belonging to thirty different families have been documented as medicinal plants. For instance, Selaginella sp. has been demonstrated to have numerous therapeutic properties, including antioxidative, inflammation-reducing, anti-carcinogenic, diabetes-fighting, virucidal, antibacterial, and anti-senile dementia effects. In addition, clinical trials and studies performed on pteridophytes and derived compounds are also discussed in details.
Short conclusion
This review offers a compilation of therapeutically valuable pteridophytes utilized by local ethnic groups, as well as the public.
Graphical Abstract
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O'Connor PJ, Alonso-Amelot ME, Roberts SA, Povey AC. The role of bracken fern illudanes in bracken fern-induced toxicities. MUTATION RESEARCH-REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2019; 782:108276. [PMID: 31843140 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Bracken fern is carcinogenic when fed to domestic and laboratory animals inducing bladder and ileal tumours and is currently classified as a possible human carcinogen by IARC. The carcinogenic illudane, ptaquiloside (PTQ) was isolated from bracken fern and is widely assumed to be the major bracken carcinogen. However, several other structurally similar illudanes are found in bracken fern, in some cases at higher levels than PTQ and so may contribute to the overall toxicity and carcinogenicity of bracken fern. In this review, we critically evaluate the role of illudanes in bracken fern induced toxicity and carcinogenicity, the mechanistic basis of these effects including the role of DNA damage, and the potential for human exposure in order to highlight deficiencies in the current literature. Critical gaps remain in our understanding of bracken fern induced carcinogenesis, a better understanding of these processes is essential to establish whether bracken fern is also a human carcinogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- P J O'Connor
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Centre for Epidemiology, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - M E Alonso-Amelot
- Chemical Ecology Group, Faculty of Sciences, University of Los Andes, Mérida 5101, Venezuela
| | - S A Roberts
- Centre for Biostatistics, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - A C Povey
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Centre for Epidemiology, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
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Tourchi-Roudsari M. Multiple Effects of Bracken Fern under in vivo and in vitro Conditions. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2014; 15:7505-13. [DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.18.7505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Gil da Costa RM, Oliveira PA, Bastos MMSM, Lopes CC, Lopes C. Ptaquiloside-induced early-stage urothelial lesions show increased cell proliferation and intact β-catenin and E-cadherin expression. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 2014; 29:763-769. [PMID: 22859263 DOI: 10.1002/tox.21803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2011] [Revised: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 07/15/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) is a carcinogenic plant whose main toxin, ptaquiloside, causes cancer in farm and laboratory animals. Ptaquiloside contaminates underground waters as well as meat and milk from bracken-grazing animals and is a suspected human carcinogen. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of carcinogenesis can be achieved by studying the early stages of this process. Unfortunately, most research on ptaquiloside has focused on the late, malignant, lesions, so the early changes of ptaquiloside-induced carcinogenesis remain largely unknown. This study aims to characterize early-stage ptaquiloside-induced urinary bladder lesions both morphologically and immunohistochemically. 12 male CD-1 mice were administered 0.5 mg ptaquiloside intraperitoneally, weekly, for 15 weeks, followed by 15 weeks without treatment. 12 control animals were administered saline. Bladders were tested immunohistochemically for antibodies against a cell proliferation marker (Ki-67), and two cell adhesion markers (E-cadherin and β-catenin). Two exposed animals died during the work. Six ptaquiloside-exposed mice developed low-grade and two developed high grade urothelial dysplasia. No lesions were detected on control animals. Significantly, increased (p < 0.05) Ki-67 labeling indices were found on dysplastic urothelium from ptaquiloside-exposed mice, compared with controls. No differences were found concerning E-cadherin and β-catenin expression. Early-stage ptaquiloside-induced urothelial lesions show increased cell proliferation but there is no evidence for reduced intercellular adhesiveness, though this may be a later event in tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui M Gil da Costa
- Pathology and Molecular Immunology Department, Abel Salazar Institute for Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Largo Prof. Abel Salazar 2, 4099-003-Porto, Portugal; Chemical Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, LEPAE, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465-Porto, Portugal
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Aranha PCR, Hansen HCB, Rasmussen LH, Strobel BW, Friis C. Determination of ptaquiloside and pterosin B derived from bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) in cattle plasma, urine and milk. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2014; 951-952:44-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2014.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Tomšík P. Ferns and lycopods--a potential treasury of anticancer agents but also a carcinogenic hazard. Phytother Res 2013; 28:798-810. [PMID: 24123573 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Many species of seedless vascular plants-ferns and lycopods-have been used as food and folk medicine since ancient times. Some of them have become the focus of intensive research concerning their anticancer properties. Studies on the anticancer effect of crude extracts are being increasingly replaced by bioactivity-guided fractionation, as well as detailed assessment of the mechanism of action. Numerous compounds-especially flavonoids such as amentoflavone and protoapigenone, and also simpler phenolic compounds, steroids, alkaloids and terpenoids-were isolated and found to be cytotoxic, particularly pro-apoptotic, or to induce cell cycle arrest in cancer cell lines in vitro. In in vivo experiments, some fern-derived compounds inhibited tumour growth with little toxicity. On the other hand, many ferns-not only the well-known Bracken (Pteridium)-may pose a significant hazard to human health due to the fact that they contain carcinogenic sesquiterpenoids and their analogues. The objective of this review is to summarise the recent state of research on the anticancer properties of ferns and lycopods, with a focus on their characteristic bioactive constituents. The carcinogenic hazard posed by ferns is also mentioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Tomšík
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Šimkova 870, Hradec Králové, 500 01, Czech Republic
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Sharma R, Bhat TK, Sharma OP. The environmental and human effects of ptaquiloside-induced enzootic bovine hematuria: a tumorous disease of cattle. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2013; 224:53-95. [PMID: 23232919 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-5882-1_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we address the major aspects of enzootic bovine hematuria and have placed special emphasis on describing the etiology, human health implications, and advanced molecular diagnosis of the disease.Enzootic bovine hematuria (EBH) is a bovine disease characterized by the intermittent presence of blood in the urine and is caused by malignant lesions in the urinary bladder. This incurable disease is a serious malady in several countries across many continents. Accurate early-stage diagnosis of the disease is possible by applying advanced molecular techniques, e.g., detection of genetic mutations in the urine of cows from endemic areas. Use of such diagnostic approaches may help create an effective therapy against the disease.There is a consensus that EBH is caused primarily by animals consuming bracken fern (P. aquilinum) as they graze. The putative carcinogen in bracken is ptaquiloside(PT), a glycoside. However, other bracken constituents like quercetin, isoquercetin,ptesculentoside, caudatoside, astragalin, and tannins may also be carcinogenic.Studies are needed to identify the role of other metabolites in inducing urinary bladder carcinogenesis.The bovine papilloma virus is also thought to be an associated etiology in causing EBH in cattle. There is growing alarm that these fern toxins and their metabolites reach and contaminate the soil and water environment and that the carcinogen (PT)is transmitted via cow's milk to the human food chain, where it may now pose a threat to human health. An increased incidence of gastric and esophageal cancer has been recorded in humans consuming bracken ferns, and among those living for long periods in areas infested with bracken ferns.Although preliminary therapeutic vaccine trials with inactivated BPV-2 against EBH have been performed, further work is needed to standardize and validate vaccine doses for animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rinku Sharma
- Disease Investigation Laboratory, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Himachal Pradesh, India.
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Gomes J, Magalhães A, Michel V, Amado IF, Aranha P, Ovesen RG, Hansen HCB, Gärtner F, Reis CA, Touati E. Pteridium aquilinum and its ptaquiloside toxin induce DNA damage response in gastric epithelial cells, a link with gastric carcinogenesis. Toxicol Sci 2011; 126:60-71. [PMID: 22143989 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfr329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The multifactorial origin of gastric cancer encompasses environmental factors mainly associated with diet. Pteridium aquilinum-bracken fern-is the only higher plant known to cause cancer in animals. Its carcinogenic toxin, ptaquiloside, has been identified in milk of cows and groundwater. Humans can be directly exposed by consumption of the plant, contaminated water or milk, and spore inhalation. Epidemiological studies have shown an association between bracken exposure and gastric cancer. In the present work, the genotoxicity of P. aquilinum and ptaquiloside, including DNA damaging effects and DNA damage response, was characterized in human gastric epithelial cells and in a mouse model. In vitro, the highest doses of P. aquilinum extracts (40 mg/ml) and ptaquiloside (60 μg/ml) decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis. γH2AX and P53-binding protein 1 analysis indicated induction of DNA strand breaks in treated cells. P53 level also increased after exposure, associated with ATR-Chk1 signaling pathway activation. The involvement of ptaquiloside in the DNA damage activity of P. aquilinum was confirmed by deregulation of the expression of a panel of genes related to DNA damage signaling pathways and DNA repair, in response to purified ptaquiloside. Oral administration of P. aquilinum extracts to mice increased gastric cell proliferation and led to frameshift events in intron 2 of the P53 gene. Our data demonstrate the direct DNA damaging and mutagenic effects of P. aquilinum. These results are in agreement with the carcinogenic properties attributed to this fern and its ptaquiloside toxin and support their role in promoting gastric carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Gomes
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Antioxidant activity of a water-soluble polysaccharide purified from Pteridium aquilinum. Carbohydr Res 2009; 344:217-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2008.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2008] [Revised: 10/20/2008] [Accepted: 10/22/2008] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Interaction of bracken-fern extract with vitamin C in human submandibular gland and oral epithelium cell lines. MUTATION RESEARCH-GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2008; 652:158-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2008.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2007] [Revised: 01/30/2008] [Accepted: 01/31/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Almeida Santos MDFM, Dórea JG, Luna H. Bracken-fern extracts can be clastogenic or aneugenic depending on the tissue cell assay. Food Chem Toxicol 2006; 44:1845-8. [PMID: 16893598 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2006.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2005] [Revised: 05/30/2006] [Accepted: 06/06/2006] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The consumption of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) as food is associated with a high incidence of cancer in humans and animals. We investigated the cytogenetic effects of bracken-fern extracts (hexane extract-HE, ethanol extract-EE, hot water extract-HWE and cold water extract-CWE) on chromosomes of peritoneal and bone-marrow cells of Swiss mice. In peritoneal cells, all four treatments (HE, EE, HWE and CWE) induced structural chromosome aberrations, but the EE also induced numerical chromosome aberrations. In bone-marrow cells both HE and CWE induced structural chromosome aberrations; additionally, the number of abnormal metaphases was higher in peritoneum than in bone marrow. We suggest that bracken fern induces cytogenetic damage through DNA strand breaks and affects chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria de Fátima M Almeida Santos
- Departamento de Genética e Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, 70910-900 Brasília, DF, Brazil
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