Exploring Plant Biotechnology: Harnessing Pteridophytes for Medical and Agricultural Advancements

Abstract

Pteridophytes are a group of plants that reproduce via spores rather than seeds and include ferns, horsetails, and club mosses. However, recent scientific investigations have revealed that pteridophytes hold a significant place in traditional medicine systems and can provide a range of therapeutic benefits. Indigenous peoples have used these pteridophytes’ medicinal capabilities to treat a variety of illnesses for decades. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the medicinal potential of pteridophytes and identifying ethnomedicinal pteridophytes thriving in the Dehradun region and its surrounding areas. In addition to learning more about pteridophytes, we identified 28 plants that are traditionally used as medicines in the Dehradun region and its surrounding areas. We researched 28 medicinal plants that fall under 15 different families, representing a wide variety of species, all with special healing abilities. The Pteridaceae family, which also includes the two plants Pteris cretica and Aleuritopteris bicolor, and five species of Adiantum, is the most widespread and dominantone. The remaining 21 plants that are studied in the analysed region belong to other families. These plants are categorized into Pteridaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Lygodiaceae, Polypodiaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Thelypteridaceae, Equisetaceae, Arecaceae, Hypodematiaceae, Aspleniaceae, Tectariaceae, Adiantaceae, Oleandraceae, and Lindsaeaceae Every plant has economic worth in terms of nutritional, aesthetic or medicinal value. Pteridophytes are rich in phytochemicals, such as tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, and proteins. These plants exhibit a wide variety of healing methods that the native people used on their own survival, most notably antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Additionally, plants are used to treat lots of skin infections, respiratory conditions, including cuts, burns, and wounds. Ferns are consumed as vegetables worldwide due to their high nutritional value and therapeutic properties. In conclusion, our study emphasis the importance of preserving both the ecological integrity of the Dehradun region and the cultural heritage embedded in the traditional uses of these pteridophytes.