Page 171 - Pharmacognosy 2 PG303 (1)

Pharmacognosy-2 (PG303) Level 2 Clinical Pharmacy-Pharm D

Powdered Male Fern: 1, epidermis; 2, hypodermis; 3, starch; 4, endodermis
ce11s; 5, 10, parenchyma of ground tissue; 6, tracheid; 7, gland 8, 9, ramenta, 11,
spore; 12, hypodermis.

Constituents
The chief constituent of male fern rhizome is about 5 per cent of a
yellow amorphous substance of acid in nature termed filmarone, to which the
vermifuge properties of the drug are attributed, Filicic acid, albaspidia and
aspidinol, flavaspidic acid and flavaspidinol (which are phloroglucinol derivatives
are also contained in the drug. Filmarone is an ester of filicic acid and aspidinal.

Filicic acid occurs as a granular sediment in male fern extract. The drug and its
extract is assayed for "flicin", which is the lactone of flicic acid, or crude
filicic acid "a mixture of the ether soluble acidic substances mentioned above".
The drug also contains fixed oil and tannic acid.

Uses
Aspidium is employed in medicine in the form of' Aspidium
Oleoresin which has anthelmintic properties. It has a powerful toxic action
on tap worms which it kills and expels. In large doses, it is an irritant poison,
its use requires care, since cases have occurred in which it has been absorbed
and resulted in blindness.

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