Abstract: The present aim is to study of some medicinal ferns having antimicrobial activity and commonly found around the are

Dr. Samir Kumarpal

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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 3, Issue 8, August 2013            1 
ISSN 2250-3153  
www.ijsrp.org 
 
Study of Activity of Some Medicinal Ferns of Darjeeling 
Dr. Samir Kumarpal  
 
Asst. Professor, P.G Department of Botany, Darjeeling Govt. College, W.B, India 
 
                                                                            
    Abstract: The present aim is to study of some medicinal ferns having antimicrobial activity and commonly found around the area 
of district Darjeeling of West Bengal, India. Common medicinal ferns from several areas of Darjeeling district are collected and tested 
against Gram +ve and Gram –ve bacteria for their antimicrobial activity. Collected plant materials are dried and the soluble extracts 
are made using organic solvent like ethanol . Antimicrobial activities are measured using agar cup diffusion method. Greater the area 
of inhibition zone indicates the presence of good potentiality of antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial activity of three plant parts like 
rhizome,  rachis  and  frond  extracts  of  Athhyrium  filix-femina(L.)Roth.,  Dicranopteris  linearis(Burm.f.)Underw.,  Pleopeltis 
macromarpa (Bory ex Willd.)Kaulf. are tested. Frond and rhizome extracts of these species show good antimicrobial activity than 
rachis.  . 
  
    Key words- Antimicrobial, rachis, rhizome, frond, extract, gram(+)ve and gram(-)ve. 
 
I.  INTRODUCTION 
n Darjeeling district of West Bengal, a large number of tribals are inhabiting and they use folk medicines to cure their ailments. 
They provide a good traditional knowledge regarding the use of folk medicine of Darjeeling district having a rich biodiversity. 
Present aim is to study and gain knowledge of medicinal ferns used by these tribals for treatment of their various ailments. For my 
present work three common ferns such as Athhyrium filix-femina., Dicranopteris linearis  and Pleopeltis macromarpa, are collected 
based on the ethnomedicinal knowledge of tribals of Darjeeling district and tested against the antimicrobial activities. It needs to study 
the various parameters like climatic condition, plant parts for use, processing of materials having therapeutic activity as well as their 
chemical nature . The voucher specimens are verified from the specimens present in the herbarium of Lloyd Botanic Garden of 
Darjeeling.  
         In ancient Indian medicine several ferns were used. A systematic survey of antimicrobial activity of ferns has been made by 
Banerjee & Sen (1980), Sen & Nandi (1981). They found that the fern extracts are effective against both gram +ve and gram –ve 
bacteria. Glands of superficial hairs on leaves and rhizome contain chemicals that are found to have antimicrobial activity. 
     Medicinal ferns of India are studied and listed by Nayer (1959), Josh (1997), Dhiman(1998), Singh et al(2001). Kirtikar et al(1935) 
have described 27 species of ferns having varied medicinal uses. Nayar(1959) recorded 29 medicinal ferns. May(1978) published a 
detailed review the uses of ferns and listed 105 medicinal ferns. The antimicrobial potential of some ferns has also been studied by 
Kumar and Kuushik(1999),Parihar and Bohar(2002&2003). 
   
II.  MATERIAL AND METHODS 
    Fresh specimens of ferns rhizome rachis and frond are collected from different places of Darjeeling district, W.B. The specimens 
are then dried at 40
0 C in Hot-air-oven for 3-5 days. The dried specimens are powdered. Rhizome, rachis and frond extracts are made 
from powdered specimens in organic solvent ethanol. For each specimen and for each extraction 5 gm. powder is taken in three 
conical flasks(100ml) to which 20 ml solvent is poured respectively. The mouth of flasks are tightly plugged with non-absorbent 
cotton and sealed with grease to prevent evaporation. Then the flasks are placed in a shaker for about 24 hours at room temperature37
0 
C. After shaking for 24 hours, the extracts are filtered using Whatman No-1filter paper. 
      The filtered extracts are tested for antimicrobial activities against both gram +ve and gram –ve bacteria on nutrient agar plate by 
disc diffusion method (Baur et al 1966). The bacterium E.coli is taken as standard gram –ve specimen and the bacterium Bacillus 
megaterium is taken as standard gram +ve specimen for testing the antimicrobial activity.  
       In present experiment fresh bacterial culture solution having concentration 10 
6 cells/ml is taken and discs of 6mm in diameter are 
made on nutrient agar plate for diffusion assay. Sterile distilled water is used as control. After incubation for 24 hours at 37
0 C, the 
diameter of inhibition zones are measured and analyzed. Three replicates are made for each set of experiment. 
       Protein is determined by the method of Lowry et al (1951)   
I International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 3, Issue 8, August 2013            2 
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III.  RESULTS  
    The  result  of  antibacterial  activity  of  three  selective  ferns  Athhyrium  filix-femina.,  Dicranopteris  linearis    and  Pleopeltis 
macromarpa,  are shown in table no.1,2and 3.The results show the well antimicrobial activity for both Gram( +)ve and gram(-)ve 
bacteria. The rhizome and  frond extracts of these  three  ferns show  good antibacterial activity. It indicates  that the antibacterial 
substances present in rhizome and frond are in good amount. The best antimicrobial activity is found in frond and rhizome extracts of 
these species. Rachis extracts also show antimicrobial activity but in less amount than frond extracts. 
    In Athyrium filix-femina, highest activity  for Gram(-)ve bacteria is found in rhizome extract. Rachis extract is less effective. A good 
antimicrobial activity against Gram (-)ve bacteria is also found in frond extract. All these extract are less effective for Gram(+)ve 
bacteria. 
    In Dicranopteris linearis  highest activity for both gram(-)ve and gram (+)ve bacteria is found in rhizome extract.  Rachis extract is 
less effective. Frond extract also shows a good effective for both gram (-)ve and gram (+)ve  bacteria. 
    In Pleopeltis macromarpa the highest activity for both gram(+)ve and gram(-)ve bacteria is found in frond extract. Rachis extracts 
are less effective. The rhizome extract also shows good activity against both gram(+)ve and gram (-)ve bacteria. 
 
Table-1.Antibacterial activity of Athyrium filix-femina 
 
Name  of  the  test 
organism. 
                                              Zone of  inhibition  
  Rhizome  Rachis  Frond  Control(mm) 
Escherichia coli   10.0mm  8.2mm  9.7mm  A  M  E 
6.3  6.2  6.2 
Bacillus megaterium  8.8mm  7.8mm  8.5mm  6.4 
 
6.3 
 
6.3 
 
 
Table-2. Antibacterial activity of Dicranopteris linearis 
 
Name  of  the  test 
organism 
                                              Zone of  inhibition  
  Rhizome  Rachis  Frond  Control(mm) 
Escherichia coli   10.6mm  9.6mm  10.4mm  A  M  E 
6.3  6.2  6.2 
Bacillus megaterium  10.5mm  9.0mm  10.2mm  6.4 
 
6.3 
 
6.3 
 
 
 
Table-3.Antibacterial activity Pleopeltis macromarpa. 
 
Name  of  the  test 
organism 
                                              Zone of  inhibition  
  Rhizome  Rachis  Frond  Control(mm) 
Escherichia coli   10.8mm  10.2mm  11.5mm  A  M  E 
6.3  6.2  6.2 
Bacillus megaterium  10.4mm  10.0mm  11.2mm  6.4 
 
6.3 
 
6.3 
 
 
   International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 3, Issue 8, August 2013            3 
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Table-4: Study of p
H value range of extracted samples: 
 
Name of the 
specimens 
P
H value of the extracts 
Rhizome  Rachis   Frond 
.  Athyrium  filix-
femina  
7.0  6.8  6.8 
Dicranopteris 
linearis   
7.2  7.2  7.0 
Pleopeltis 
macromarpa 
7.2  7.0  7.0 
 
Table-5: Study of protein value of extracted samples 
 
Name of the 
specimens 
Protein value of the extracts(mg\ml) 
Rhizome  Rachis   Frond 
Athyrium  filix-
femina 
 0.066   0.0048   0.0046 
Dicranopteris 
linearis   
 0.054   0.0034   0.0032 
 Pleopeltis 
macromarpa. 
 0.060   0.0038   0.0037 
      
      
IV.  DISCUSSION 
    The  rhizome,  leaf  blade  and  rachis  of  ferns  are  covered  by  glands  densely.  These  epidermal  glands(Manikam,2002)  contain 
substances like phenolic compounds, glycosides, flavonoids. and alkaloids(Alcaraz et al,2000,Cushnie and Lamb,2005, Yusuf,1994). 
These substances are largely responsible for the antimicrobial activity and are being soluble in organic solvents easily extracted in 
methanol, ethanol and acetone but less soluble in water(Adedapo et al,2009, Banerjee and sen1980) 
           The present results show the good antimicrobial activity of three species indicating the presence of good amount substances 
like phenolic compounds, glycosides, flavonoids and alkaloids. These observations are good agreement with the findings of  Sen and 
Nandi(1951), Banerjee and Sen(1980), Natarajan et al(2005). The antimicrobial activities of the ferns are also in agreement with the 
common usage of ferns in folk medicine for bacterial infection such as infection of throat, boil, ulcer and in wound healing(Banerjee 
and Sen 1980), tumour(Creasey 1969),dermatophytes(Davvamani et al 2005). 
            The antibiotic spectra of three ferns cover both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. These observations provide support 
that the ferns produce a variety of antimicrobial substances. It is necessary to keep in mind that the factors like climatic condition, 
nature  of  plant  parts,  age  of  plant  at  the  time  of  collection  etc  are  also  responsible  for  the  enhancement  of  the  activity  of  the 
antimicrobial substances and it needs to be studied more in details. 
               The amount of protein present in the extracts show little variation though antimicrobial activities show wide variation among 
the specimens. It indicates that proteins may have little effect on antimicrobial activities. 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 
     The author is thankful to the director of UGC(ER) for providing the financial assistance by granting a minor project. The author is 
also thankful to the principal and the head of the P.G. department of Botany, Darjeeling Govt. College for providing all laboratory 
facilities.  
 
   
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Author name: Dr. Samir Kumar Pal ,M.Sc, Ph.D, Assistant Professor  
                        P.G Department of Botany 
                        Darjeeling Govt. College, W.B, India. 
                        Samirpal1957@gmail.com, ph. no. -9432137622 
 

Study of Activity of Some Medicinal Ferns of Darjeeling

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Study of Activity of Some Medicinal Ferns of Darjeeling

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