Chemistry and Bioactivity of Microsorum scolopendria (Polypodiaceae): Antioxidant Effects on an Epithelial Damage Model

Abstract

Microsorum scolopendia (MS), which grows on the Chilean island of Rapa Nui, is a medicinal fern used to treat several diseases. Despite being widely used, this fern has not been deeply investigated. The aim of this study was to perform a characterization of the polyphenolic and flavonoid identity, radical scavenging, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties of MS rhizome and leaf extracts (RAE and HAE). The compound identity was analyzed through the reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method coupled with mass spectrometry. The radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated for DPPH, ORAC, ROS formation, and COX inhibition activity assay. The antimicrobial properties were evaluated using an infection model on Human Dermal Fibroblast adult (HDFa) cell lines incubated with Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The most abundant compounds were phenolic acids between 46% to 57% in rhizome and leaf extracts, respectively; followed by flavonoids such as protocatechic acid 4-O-glucoside, cirsimaritin, and isoxanthohumol, among others. MS extract inhibited and disaggregated the biofilm bacterial formed and showed an anti-inflammatory selective property against COX-2 enzyme. RAE generated a 64% reduction of ROS formation in the presence of S. aureus and 87.35% less ROS in the presence of S. epidermidis on HDFa cells. MS has great therapeutic potential and possesses several biological properties that should be evaluated.

Calculating the Crystallite Size of <i>Microsorum scolopendria</i> AgCl Nanoparticles and Their Biological Activities

“…Very few reports exist for the fern MS and a recent phytochemical study demonstrated their rich phenolics and flavonoid contents such as protocatechic acid, 4-O-glucoside, cirsimaritin, and isoxanthohumol. [9] Phenolics or polyphenolics as well as flavonoids are widely used in food industries, cosmetics pharmaceutics due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities. [10] [11] Importantly, metal ions coordination interaction with phenolic hydroxyl group-containing bio-organic molecules in natural plants is exploited for the preparation of important nanoparticles for drug delivery, bio-imaging, surface modification, and disease treatment.…”