Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Evaluation of glucosidase inhibitory and cytotoxic potential of five selected edible and medicinal ferns

Tsun-Thai Chai^1,2 , Loo-Yew Yeoh², Nor Ismaliza Mohd Ismail^1,3, Hean-Chooi Ong⁴, Fazilah Abd Manan⁵, Fai-Chu Wong^1,2

¹Centre for Biodiversity Research; ²Department of Chemical Science; ³Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900 Kampar; ⁴Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur; ⁵Department of Biosciences and Health Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences and Medical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

For correspondence:- Tsun-Thai Chai Email: chaitt@utar.edu.my Tel:+6054688888 ext 451

Received: 1 October 2014 Accepted: 9 February 2015 Published: 31 March 2015

Citation: Chai T, Yeoh L, Ismail NM, Ong H, Manan FA, Wong F. Evaluation of glucosidase inhibitory and cytotoxic potential of five selected edible and medicinal ferns. Trop J Pharm Res 2015; 14(3):449-454 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v14i3.13

© 2015 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the glucosidase inhibitory and cytotoxic activities of five selected edible and medicinal ferns, namely, Blechnum orientale, Davallia denticulata, Diplazium esculentum, Nephrolepis biserrata, and Pteris vittata.

Methods: The aqueous extracts of the five ferns were prepared by water extraction at 90 ºC for 1 h. Antiglucosidase assay was used to determine the effect of each extract on yeast alpha-glucosidase activity in vitro. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using methylthiazol tetrazolium assay on chronic myelogenous leukaemia cell line (K562). The phenolic, hydroxycinnamic acid, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents of the extracts were also determined.

Results: The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of D. esculentum (half maximal effective concentration, EC₅₀ = 6.85 µg/ml) was considerably stronger than that of myricetin (EC₅₀ = 53.21 µg/ml). B. orientale, D. esculentum, N. biserrata, and P. vittata were cytotoxic to K562 cells. P. vittata had the strongest cytotoxicity, although it was less potent than 5-fluorouracil. D. denticulata had the highest phenolic, hydroxycinnamic acid and flavonoid contents of all the extracts while B. orientale had the highest proanthocyanidin content.

Conclusion: Among the five ferns evaluated, D. esculentum is a potential source of an antidiabetic agent and is recommended for further investigation in this regard. All the fern extracts, except D. denticulata, exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity against K562 cells.

Keywords: Medicinal fern, ^5;-Glucosidase inhibition, Cytotoxicity, Blechnum orientale, Davallia denticulata, Diplazium esculentum, Nephrolepis biserrata, Pteri