Evaluation of Drynaria quercifolia, a Medicinal Pteridophyte for Anti-nociceptive, Anti-allergic, Anti-lipidperoxidative Properties and Detection of Heavy Metal Content

Drynaria quercifolia is a medicinal pteridophyte belonging to the family Polypodiaceae which is used extensively in ethnomedicine in different parts of the World to relieve headache, body ache, and rheumatic pain. The rhizomes are bitter, astringent, tonic and used to treat various inflammatory conditions, bone fracture, jaundice, ulcer, etc. The present study was aimed to evaluate the in vivo anti-nociceptive, antiallergic and in vitro anti-lipid peroxidative properties of the ethanol extract of rhizomes of D. quercifolia (DQ), ethyl acetate extract (EDQ) and hexane extract (HDQ). Oral administration of DQ/EDQ/HDQ produced significant inhibition of capsaicin and glutamate induced nociception in mice, offered significant protection in tail flick and tail immersion tests in Wistar rats. The extracts significantly attenuated degranulation of peritoneal mast cells of Swiss albino mice and showed significant reduction in FeCl2-AA induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver in vitro. The High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) study showed that naringin was found to be 1.6% in EDQ. Naringenin was found to be 0.53% in DQ and 0.15% in EDQ. The total phenolic content was found to be very high, DQ 244mg/g and EDQ 416mg/g equivalent of gallic acid. In the present study the results of atomic absorption spectrophotometry showed that the level of lead, cadmium and copper were below the detection limits. The results suggest potent anti-nociceptive, antiallergic and antilipid peroxidative properties of D. quercifolia that substantiates its extensive use in ethnomedicine to relieve pain and to treat inflammatory disorders.