ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF THE INDONESIAN FERNS, NEPHROLEPIS FALCATA AND PYRROSIA LANCEOLATA

Objective : The aim of this research is to evaluate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of extracts of the Indonesian ferns Nephrolepis falcata and Pyrrosia lanceolata. Methods : Antioxidant activity was measured by using the 1,1-diphenil-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by using anti-denaturation of heat bovine serum albumin (BSA) method. Phytochemical screening was carried out by using the standard of analysis. Results : Ethanol (EtOH) extracts of the Indonesian ferns N. falcata and P. lanceolata showed very strong and moderate antioxidant activity with antioxidant activity index (AAI) values 3.8±0.5 and 1.4±0.0, respectively. Ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH) extracts of P. lanceolata was considered to have anti-inflammatory property (percentage anti-denaturation>20%) at concentration of 1 and 10 mg/ml and becoming not active at concentration of 100 mg/ml. Only MeOH extract of N. falcata showed significant anti-inflammatory at concentration of 1 and 10 mg/ml and also becoming not active at concentration of 100 mg/ml. Phytochemical screening indicates that EtOAc extract of N. falcata contains flavonoids and terpenoids, while MeOH extract contains flavonoids, phenols and saponins. Meanwhile, terpenoids, flavonoids and phenolic type of secondary metabolites were detected from both EtOAc and MeOH extracts of P. lanceolata Conclusion : Both Indonesian ferns N. falcata and P. lanceolata have antioxidant activity and also consider having anti-inflammatory property. These activities are predicted due to the presences of flavonoid and phenolic secondary metabolites in these ferns.