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Antibiotic activity of pteridophytes

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Abstract

The occurrence of antibiotic activity in the extracts of 114 species of pteridophytes (27 families, 61 genera) has been surveyed. The plants were extracted in water, methanol, 70% ethanol, acetone and ether and assayed against 3 gram-positive, I acid-fast and 5 gram-negative bacteria and 3 fungal plant pathogens. Sixty-seven ferns and 6 fern allies, representing 64% of the samples examined, were antibiotic ally active. The active substances were in most cases antibacterial and only 3 possessed antifungal activity. Thirty-three species were inhibitory to gram-positive bacteria alone, 9 exclusively against gram-negative bacteria and 15 to both. Twenty species were inhibitory to penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 16 against Mycobacterium phlei, 24 against Salmonella typhi, 16 against Vibrio cholerae and 3 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Only Dryopteris coch-leata was active against both bacteria and fungi. Five other species of Dryopteris showed remarkable antibacterial activity. The ferns of “Adiantum group” were found to be particularly active against gram-positive bacteria. The polypodiaceous ferns constitute a rich group of which Microsorium alternifolium, Leptochillus decurrens, Polypodium irioides, Pyrrosia mannii and Phymatodes ebenipes deserve special mention. Several thelypteroid, davalloid and athyroid ferns were also fairly active.

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  1. Department of Botany, Kalyani University, Kalyani, India

    R. D. Banerjee & S. P. Sen

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  1. R. D. Banerjee
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Banerjee, R.D., Sen, S.P. Antibiotic activity of pteridophytes. Econ Bot 34, 284–298 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02858649

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