Dryiopteris carthusiana, Buckler Fern or Shield Fern
This one had a name change at some point – Mrs. Grieve listed it as Aspidium spinulosum, Shield Fern:
The Prickly-toothed Shield Fern is allied to the Male Shield Fern, but is not so tall, about 8 to 14 inches, and has very much broader leaves. The rootstock is similar to Male Fern, but there are differences in the number of wood bundles in the stems, also in the hairs on the margins of the leaf-stalk scales. The fronds are more divided - twice or thrice pinnate - and are spinous, the pinnae generally opposite and the lowest pair much shorter than the others. The sori are circular, with kidney-shaped indusium, much smaller than in Filix-mas.
The Prickly-toothed Shield Fern is moderately erect and firm and grows in masses, being common in sheltered places on moist banks and in open woods.
The medicinal uses are as in Male Fern, with the rhizome of which, as imported from the Continent, it has always been much mixed.
Plants for A Future states:
The root contains "filicin", a substance that paralyses tapeworms and other internal parasites and has been used as a worm expellent. It is one of the most effective treatments known for tapeworms - its use should be immediately followed by a non-oily purgative such as magnesium sulphate in order to expel the worms from the body. An oily purge, such as caster oil, increases the absorption of the fern root and can be dangerous. The root is harvested in the autumn and can be dried for later use, it should not be stored for longer than 12 months. This remedy should be used with caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. The root is toxic and the dosage is critical. See also the notes above on toxicity.
Although we have found no reports for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable. The fresh plant contains thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase. However, there have been reports for other species of ferns suggesting that even cooked fronds can have a long term harmful effect. Some caution is therefore advised.
(photo By Wasp32 - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49740198)
Dryopteris crassirhizoma, Crown Wood Fern
A Handbook of Chinese Healing Herbs by Daniel Reid tells us:
This is a common fern that grows in temperate and subtropical regions throughout the world. There are many different Latin designations because a variety of species are used interchangeably under the same name in Chinese Medicine, thereby confounding the translators. The lush green fronds grows to a length of 15-30 centimeters, and the starchy rhizomes are used in medicine; in ancient times, the later were also eaten as food. They contain tannin, essential oil, resin, starch, and sugar, and are mildly toxic.
Energy: Slightly Cold
Flavor: Bitter
Affinity: Liver, Stomach
Therapeutic Effects: anthelmintic, antidote, antipyretic, hemostatic (TCM: clears internal heat).
Indications: Intestinal parasites, uterine congestion and hemorrhage after childbirth, menorrhagia. leukorrhia, inflamed abscesses due to excess heat, thyroid inflammation, (TCM: internal heat).
Contraindications: Pregnancy
Plants for a Future states of this Dryopteris:
The root stalks are analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, astringent, febrifuge, haemostatic, vermifuge and vulnerary. A decoction of the dried root is depurative and resolvent. The root contains "filicin", a substance that paralyses tapeworms and other internal parasites and has been used as a worm expellent for humans and also in veterinary medicine. It is one of the most effective treatments known for tapeworms - its use should be immediately followed by a non-oily purgative such as magnesium sulphate in order to expel the worms from the body. An oily purge, such as caster oil, increases the absorption of the fern root and can be dangerous. The root is also taken internally in the treatment of internal haemorrhage, uterine bleeding, mumps and feverish illnesses. The root is harvested in the autumn and can be dried for later use, it should not be stored for longer than 12 months. This remedy should be used with caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. The root is toxic and the dosage is critical. See also the notes above on toxicity. Externally, the root is used in the treatment of abscesses, boils, carbuncles and sores.
(photo By Dalgial - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9646422)
This article is an excerpt from
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Disclaimer
The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.
