Health Benefits of Rockcap Fern

Rockcap Fern

Rockcap fern is part of the Polypodiaceae family and is known by many other names.

Description

Rockcap fern is a plant often found in rocky regions, shady moist places in mountainous areas at altitudes higher than 600 meters. Its blooming period starts in April and lasts till the end of October. It has a small horizontal rhizome, from which oval-shaped leaves measuring 10 - 25 cm grow. From this plant only the rhizome is used for curative purposes and is harvested from May to October.

Properties

Rockcap fern contains glucids, monoglucids, starch, oils, glycosides, resin, enzymes, flavonic acid. Because of these compounds, the herb has fitotherapeutic properties; it is used for treating in biliar diseases and constipation.

Treatment

   The dry rhizome of the rockcap fern is laxative litotritic cholagogue. In cases of anorexia caused by indigestion or in the one caused by intestinal parasites the consumption of fern tea is recommended.

   In popular medicine fern is used for eliminating intestinal parasites, being considered the best cure for eliminating tapeworm. In this case, powdered rhizome is used mixed with honey. They take fern rhizome dust with honey. A spoonful powdered rhizome is mixed with honey and is then divided into 16 doses for adults. For children only 13 doses are used. A day before treatment starts a cup of milk should be consumed for the last time. In the second day the dosages are taken every three minutes, one after the other. After that it is checked to see if tapewarm had been successfully eliminated. If not then this treatment is started again the following week.

   Other usages of the fern are in skin diseases: leg edemas, wounds. It is also recommended to make warm poultices containing fern decoct or fern leaves as they are good for rheumatism and gout.

Preparations

Rockcap fern tea and decoct are prepared in a similar manner: a spoonful of herb macerated in 400ml water is then boiled until a quarter of the water evaporates. The tea is then consumed slowly over a period of 2 to 3 hours.

Rockcap fern infusion is obtained from crushed herb until it becomes powdery, and is then dissolved in a cup of water.

Warning

Rockcap fern is cytotoxic. It contains thiaminases which can eliminate vitamin B1 from the body. No cases of intoxications at the usual doses were signaled. The whole plant has a slow toxicity to it, due to the antivitamin B and pterosides with cancerous potential that it contains.