Aglaomorpha quercifolia (L.) Hovenkamp & S. Linds a Wild Fern Used in Timorese Cuisine

Abstract

Aglaomorpha quercifolia (L.) Hovenkamp & S. Linds is an extensively used species in traditional medicinal systems in several areas of the world due to some important medicinal properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory activities. In East Timor, different parts of this fern are used either as remedies or as food. The ingestion of a broth made from its rhizome improves lactation, and young fronds of this fern are boiled and eaten with rice by the locals. Nevertheless, its chemical profile is far from being established. The present work aims to establish the chemical profile of both rhizomes and leaves n-hexane extracts by Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed the leaves richness in fatty acids with interesting nutritional values (ω−6/ω−3 = 0.68, AI = 0.59, TI = 0.30), being linolenic acid (253.71 ± 0.93 mg/g dry leaves) and palmitic acid (237.27 ± 0.59 mg/g dry leaves) the significant compounds in the extract. Whereas the rhizome extract is mostly rich in terpenoids, such as steroid, cycloartane, and hopanoid derivatives, being hop-16-ene (166.45 ± 0.53 mg/g dry rhizome) and β-sitosterol (50.76 ± 0.11 mg/g dry rhizome) the major compounds. Several compounds are reported for the first time in the species, and the data herein reported contributes to confirming the species nutritional value.