An Efficient Method for the Isolation of Toxins from Pteridium aquilinum and Evaluation of Ptaquiloside Against Cancer and Non-cancer Cells

Abstract

The common fern, bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), is well known for its toxic effects on livestock due principally to the carcinogenic constituent ptaquiloside (1), although other toxins are present including the cyanogenic glycoside, prunasin (2). Here, we report an improved and relatively “green” process for the isolation of 1 and 2 from fresh bracken fronds and the evaluation of 1 for cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines. The results indicate that 1 displays selective toxicity against cancer cells relative to noncancer retinal epithelial cells, and the improved method for the isolation of 1 is expected to facilitate further exploration of its pharmacological properties.

Cross-species oncogenomics offers insight into human muscle-invasive bladder cancer

“…Fresh, uncurled fronds of bracken (fiddleheads), Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Khun. (Dennstaedtiaceae) were collected early in the growing season (mid-late May) from Baildon Moor, Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK, and processed within a few hours as previously reported [ 107 ]. Briefly, fiddleheads were frozen with liquid N 2 , powdered and macerated with acetone.…”

“…The extract was concentrated under reduced pressure at 40 °C then dried under vacuum. Ptaquiloside (PT) was isolated from an ethyl acetate extract by low-pressure column chromatography over silica gel as previously reported [ 107 ].…”

Health and Environmental Hazards of the Toxic Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (Bracken Fern)

“…Additionally, extracts from bracken fern have demonstrated the potential to inhibit the growth of specific cancer cells in in vitro studies [ 100 , 101 ]. Treatment of human cancer cell lines with bracken fern dichloromethane extracts induced DNA damage and apoptosis at high concentrations (200 μg/mL) and caused cell cycle arrest at milder concentrations (50 and 30 μg/mL), depending on the cell type and tumor origin [ 101 ].…”

“…Treatment of human cancer cell lines with bracken fern dichloromethane extracts induced DNA damage and apoptosis at high concentrations (200 μg/mL) and caused cell cycle arrest at milder concentrations (50 and 30 μg/mL), depending on the cell type and tumor origin [ 101 ]. Williams et al [ 100 ] reported that ptaquiloside exhibited selective toxicity against cancer cells compared to noncancer retinal epithelial cells, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent.…”