Phytochemical and Biological Investigation of Nephrolepis biserrata, a Fern Variety From Côte D’Ivoire

Abstract

This research work was carried out on the species Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott (Nephrolepidaceae), a fern from Côte d’Ivoire with the aim of establishing its phytochemical, antioxidant and biological profile. The results obtained from the phytochemical screening show that said species contains alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, polyphenols, sterols, terpenes, and tannins. The antioxidant activity was evaluated spectrophotometrically against the DPPH radical in comparison with that of vitamin C. The determination of the antibacterial parameters indicates that N. biserrata doesn’t exhibit any bactericidal action against the bacterial strains tested. Regarding the vermicidal activity against earthworms, decocts of N. biserrata showed an anthelmintic effect, which however remains less pronounced than that of albendazole, the anthelmintic antiparasitic taken as a reference. Keywords: Nephrolepis biserrata, phytochemical screening, antioxidant, antibacterial, vermicide.