Male Fern
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 20, 2020.
Scientific Name(s): Dryopteris filix-mas (L.) Schott, Dryopteris marginalis (L)
Common Name(s): Aspidium, Bear's paw, Knotty brake, Male fern, Marginal fern, Shield fern, Worm fern
Clinical Overview
Use
D. filix-mas has been used as a traditional vermifuge. Investigations into potential applications of related species, particularly Dryopteris crassirhizoma and Dracaena fragrans, report antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, but no clinical trials support these claims.
Dosing
Clinical evidence does not support specific doses of male fern, and toxicities have been reported with traditional doses.
Contraindications
Male fern extract is potentially toxic.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
None well documented. Traditional use of male fern extract combined with castor oil increases absorption of the extract, resulting in enhanced toxicity.
Adverse Reactions
Adverse reactions associated with traditional doses have included headache, dyspnea, nausea, diarrhea, vertigo, tremors, convulsions, and cardiac and respiratory failure. Impaired vision and jaundice have also been reported.
Toxicology
Male fern extract is potentially toxic.
Scientific Family
- Dryopteridaceae
- Polypodiaceae (wood fern)
Botany
D. filix-mas is a hardy, ornamental fern with semievergreen leaves that can grow up to 1 m in length. Stalks are scaly and pale brown and each leaf grows from the root base. Its rhizomes and frond bases are used medicinally. The plant grows throughout the United States in dry terrain, in rich woods, and on rocky slopes. Originally thought to be the male plant of Athyrium filix-femina (female fern), it was given the name "filix-mas."Franchi 1988, Khan 2009, Step 1905, USDA 2015
History
Male fern has been used in traditional medicine as a vermifuge ("worm fern"), with the early Greeks and Romans also recognizing the plant’s value in destroying or expelling parasitic worms.Franchi 1988 In Chinese medicine, the extract has been used to treat wounds, recurrent nosebleeds, and heavy menstrual bleeding. The components of the plant have also been used as veterinary vermifuges. D. Filix-mas formerly listed in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).Khan 2009
Chemistry
Major constituents of Dryopteris ferns include flavonoids and terpenoids.Cao 2013, Han 2015 Male fern contains approximately 6% to 15% of an oleoresin, which contains several chemical constituents including filicins (filicic/filixic acid, albaspidin, flavaspidic acid), aspidinol, alkanes, triterpene hydrocarbons, lignins, volatile oils, and resins.Franchi 1988, Khan 2009 Margaspidin, para-aspidin, phloraspin, and other constituents have also been described.Han 2015, Khan 2009
Uses and Pharmacology
Vermifuge
Animal data
Filicin and filmarone are active vermifuges, particularly toxic to tapeworms.Duke 2002, Khan 2009
Clinical Data
An older clinical study examined the anthelmintic effects of male fern administered via intubation as compared with the effects of piperazine.Goodwin 1958 Another study examined male fern's anthelmintic properties using the plant's encapsulated extract in combination with a pretreatment of magnesium sulfate solution.Mello 1978
Other Effects
Antioxidant, antimicrobial, and chemotherapeutic properties of related fern species, particularly D. crassirhizoma and D. fragrans, have been investigated.Cao 2013, Gao 2015, Han 2015, Huang 2014, Jiang 2013, Kwon 2007, Lee 2008, Lu 2012, Magalhães 2010, Mazzio 2009, Sun 2013, Xie 2015, Zhang 2012, Zhao 2014
Dosing
Clinical evidence does not support specific doses of male fern. Traditional dosage of the plant as an anthelmintic was 5 to 8 g oleoresin extract; however, adverse effects at this dosage have been documented.Duke 2002
Pregnancy / Lactation
Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
None well documented. Traditional use of male fern extract combined with castor oil increases absorption of the extract, resulting in enhanced toxicity.Khan 2009
Adverse Reactions
Therapeutic doses have been associated with adverse events,Duke 2002, Hargreaves 1966, Khan 2009 including headache, dyspnea, nausea, diarrhea, vertigo, tremors, convulsions, and cardiac and respiratory failure.Khan 2009 Impaired vision and jaundice have also been reported.Duke 2002, Hargreaves 1966
Toxicology
Male fern extract is potentially toxic,Duke 2002, Hargreaves 1966, Khan 2009 and references in the USP have been removed.Franchi 1988, Khan 2009 Some consumer websites reference a 1976 German report of penis enlargement in rats with the use of D. filix-mas extract, but the effect has not been explained or further elucidated.Kantemir 1976
References
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This information relates to an herbal, vitamin, mineral or other dietary supplement. This product has not been reviewed by the FDA to determine whether it is safe or effective and is not subject to the quality standards and safety information collection standards that are applicable to most prescription drugs. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this product. This information does not endorse this product as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this product. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this product. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. You should talk with your health care provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this product.
This product may adversely interact with certain health and medical conditions, other prescription and over-the-counter drugs, foods, or other dietary supplements. This product may be unsafe when used before surgery or other medical procedures. It is important to fully inform your doctor about the herbal, vitamins, mineral or any other supplements you are taking before any kind of surgery or medical procedure. With the exception of certain products that are generally recognized as safe in normal quantities, including use of folic acid and prenatal vitamins during pregnancy, this product has not been sufficiently studied to determine whether it is safe to use during pregnancy or nursing or by persons younger than 2 years of age.
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