Adiantum capillus–veneris
Other Names : Black Maidenhair Fern, Southern Maidenhair Fern, Venus Hair Fern, Tie Xian Jue, 铁线蕨, Persiao Shan
Adiantum capillus-veneris L. is a perennial fern with short creeping stems. Leaf blades are lanceolate, pinnate, 10–45 cm by 4–15 cm and glabrous. Ultimate segments are various but generally cuneate or fanshaped to irregularly rhombic, about as long as well as broad with its base broadly to narrowly cuneate. Plant is delicate, brittle and has dark stalks. Native to America, Mexico, West Indies and South America. It can also be found in temperate regions of Eurasia and Africa.
Contents
Special Precautions of Adiantum capillus–veneris
- Should not be used during pregnancy
- Described as harmful if administered to patients suffering from spleen disorders.
- Regular use may cause dessication.
Pharmacological Activities
Antibacterial.
Actions
The fern is considered an astringent, demulcent, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, emollient, expectorant, laxative, stimulant, sudorific and a tonic.
Health Benefits and Uses of Adiantum capillus–veneris
- It is used for alopecia, asthma, bladder ailments, catarrh, chest ailments, chills, cold, cough, toothache dental abscesses, gastritis, respiratory problems, dropsy, dysmenorrhoeal, fever, head ailments, hepatosis, labour, lung ailments, respiratory problems, rheumatism, sclerosis, cystitis, and tumors of spleen, snake bite, sores, sore throat, dermatitis, splenosis, stones and other urinary calcification, liver and other viscera.
- A tea or syrup is used in the treatment of coughs, throat afflictions and bronchitis.
- The plant expels worm, induces vomitting and relieves fever.
- Used externally, it is poulticed on snakebites and as a treatment for impetigo.
- The Russians use the herb for rhinitis while the French, with orange flowers and honey, uses it for pulmonary catarrh.
- As detersive and desiccative applied on sores, ulcers, alopecia, alopecia furfuracea, for this purpose bruised to powder and applied on oral sores, stomatitis, pustules and boils of children.
- Resolves hard swellings, scrofulous glands and other local inflammations.
- A handful of leaves is made into a tea and drunk as an expectorant, astringent, tonic for coughs, throat afflictions and bronchitis.
- as a detoxicant in alcoholism
- to expel worms from the body.
- The plant is also used as a hair wash for dandruff and to promote hair growth in Latin America. * The ashes mixed with vinegar and olive oil is rubbed into the scalp to cure a lopecia.
- In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the leaves are used for bronchial diseases and as an expectorant
- in Africa, the leaves are smoked to prevent head and chest colds.
- In Nepal, a paste made from the fronds is applied to the forehead to relieve headaches and to the chest to relieve chest pains.
Phytoconstituents
Adiantoxide, adiantone, isoadiantone, isoadiantol, hydroxyadiantone, capesterol and others.
Dosage
Taken internally as a tea prepared from powdered dried fronds. The standard single dose is 1.5 g of drug to 1 cup of fluid per dose.
