Use with caution. Review interactions and contraindications below.
TCM Properties
- Taste
- bitter, sweet
- Temperature
- cold
- Channels
- Large Intestine, Bladder, Lung, Liver, Gallbladder
Traditional Use
Primary Actions
- Clears heat and drains dampness — used for cholecystitis, hepatitis, bacterial dysentery, enteritis, and damp-heat patterns in the Lower Jiao
- Cools the blood and stops bleeding — used for hematemesis, haematuria, and hemorrhagic conditions from blood heat
- Relieves toxicity and reduces swelling — used for tonsillitis, parotitis, and toxic boils from heat toxicity
Secondary Actions
- Clears heat to address gonorrhea and urinary tract infections from damp-heat in the Bladder
- Antibacterial action against dysentery bacilli — used for diarrhea caused by E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus
Modern Research
Active Compounds
- Pterosins — sesquiterpenoids unique to Pteridaceae; antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anti-tuberculosis activity; (2R)-pterosin P and dehydropterosin B identified from this species
- Diterpenoids — cytotoxic terpenoids identified from aerial parts
- Flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside) — antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
- Coumarins — antibacterial secondary metabolites
- Lignans — anti-inflammatory and antioxidant constituents
Studied Effects
- Antibacterial — ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts show significant inhibitory activity against dysentery-causing E. coli; effective in traditional dysentery treatment (PMID 18553125)
- Cytotoxic — diterpenoid and sesquiterpenoid fractions demonstrate cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines in vitro (PMID 18181575)
- Pterosin pharmacology — pterosins from genus Pteris show antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetes and anti-tuberculosis activities; (2R)-pterosin P newly isolated from this species (PMID 20486077)
PubMed References
Safety & Interactions
Contraindications
- Pregnancy — cold, blood-cooling herb; traditional contraindication throughout pregnancy
- Cold constitutions and Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold — extremely cold nature aggravates Yang deficiency patterns
- Recurring dysentery in elderly — avoid prolonged use in frail patients
Cautions
- Avoid long-term use — cold draining nature may deplete Yang and Middle Jiao warmth with extended administration
- MSK page not found — drug interaction data not available from Memorial Sloan Kettering integrative medicine database