Assessing Environmental Safety Risks associated with Ptaquiloside: A Rapidly Leaching Glucoside from Bracken Ferns

Ptaquiloside (PTA), a glucoside found in common tropical bracken ferns like Pteridium aquilinum, possesses genotoxic and DNA-damaging properties. Its water-solubility makes it susceptible to rapid leaching during rainfall, resulting in its presence in groundwater. PTA's DNA alkylation ability contributes significantly to tumorigenesis, substantiating its carcinogenic potential in animals including humans. Its presence has been confirmed not only in groundwater but also in meat and milk. The unique leaching behavior of PTA, along with evidence of multiple mechanisms leading to cellular mutations, warrants further attention. Research is needed to enhance the isolation and purification of PTA from samples. While the current understanding points to DNA alkylation as the primary mechanism of action, emerging studies suggest potential alternate mechanisms that remain elusive.