CODEN : IJPNL 6 BIOACTIVITY AND GENOTOXICITY OF CENTURIES OLD REMEDY ASPLENIUM
Despite the fact that Asplenium scolopendrium L. is a wide spread fern which has been used as a human remedy for centuries, there are very poor or no data about activity and genotoxicity of A. scolopendrium extracts. In this work, vacuum dried water and ethanol extracts of A. scolopendrium fronds were tested for their antimicrobial, cytotoxic and genotoxic potential. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by disk diffusion assay (concentration of extracts 35 mg/ml, 7 mg/ml and 1,4 mg/ml) and there was no inhibition zone for all extracts and for all microorganisms examined (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans). Cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of extracts (70 mg/ml, 7 mg/ml and 0,7 mg/ml) was tested using cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay in human lymphocyte cultures. Ethanol blocked division of cells in negative control so only water extracts were analyzed. Extracts didn’t show genotoxic properties but they showed weak cytotoxic properties. NDI (nuclear division index) decreased with increasing concentration of extracts, but there was no statistical significance when compared to negative control (p=0,055).