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AVENCA
Family: Adiantaceae
Genus: Adiantum
Species: capillus-veneris
Common names: Avenca, Adianto, Alambrillo, Barun, Cabello De Venus, Capilera, Capille E Jenere, Celantillo, Centaurea, Cilantrillo, Culandrillo, Culantrillo De Pozo, Culantrillo, Fern Karn Dam, Frauenhaar, Hansraj, Helecho Culantrillo , Herba Capillorum, Veneris, Horaishida, Krafs Al Bir, Ladies Hair, Maiden Hair, Maiden's Hair Fern, Maidenhair Fern, Maidenhair, Pare Cyavash, Pare Cyavashan, Parswshan, Tremolante, Venus Hair Fern, Venus's Hair, Venus-hair Fern
Parts Used: Leaves, Rhizome
DESCRIPTION
Properties/Actions:
 Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti-asthmatic, Antidote, Antimicrobial, Antihyperglycemic, Antitussive, Antiviral, Astringent, Demulcent, Depurative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogueue, Emollient, Expectorant, Febrifuge, Laxative, Pectoral, Stimulant, Sudorific, Tonic
Phytochemicals:
 1-caffeylgalactose-6-sulfate, 1-caffeylglucose-3-sulfate, 1-p-coumarylglucose-2-sulfate, 1-p-coumarylglucose-6-sulfate, 3-alpha,4-alpha-epoxyfilicane, 7,9-(11)-fernadiene, 7-fernene, 21-beta-hydroxy-29nor-22-hopanone, 21-hydroxyadiantone, Adiantone, Adiantone,21-hydroxy, Adiantone,iso, Adiantoxide, Betasitosterol, Caffeic Acid1-glucose-3-sulfate, Caffeic Acid 1-galactose-6-sulfate, Campesterol, Carotene,alpha, Carotene,beta, Coumaric Acid,para: 1-glucose-2-sul, Coumaric Acid,para, 1-glucose-6-sul, Diplopterol, Filicane,3-alpha-4-alpha-epoxy, Hydroxycinnamic-acid, Isoquercetin, Kaempferol-3,7-diglucoside, Kaempferol-3-sulfate, Kaempferol-3-0-beta-d-glucuronide, Kaempferol-3-0-rutinoside Sulfate, Kaempferol, Kaempferol-3-rutinoside, Kaempferol-3-o-galactoside Sulfate, Kaempferol-3-sulfate, Lutein Epoxide, Mutatoxanthin, Naringin, Neoxanthin, Nicotiflorin, Populnin, Procyanidin, Prodelphinidin, Quercetin-3-0-(6''-malonyl)-d-galac, Quercetin-3-0-beta-d-glucuronide, Quercitrin,iso, Querciturone, Quinic Acid, Rhodoxanthin, Rutin, Shikimic-acid, Stigmasterol, Tannin Toside,Violaxanthin, Zeaxanthin
Traditional Remedy:
 One-half cup leaf infusion 2 times daily or 1-3 ml of a 4:1 root tincture twice daily. 1 to 2 grams of powdered leaf or root in tablets or capsules twice daily can be substituted if desired. See Traditional Herbal Remedies Preparation Methods page if necessary for definitions.
Country Ethnobotany Worldwide Uses
Brazil
 Asthma, Cough, Bronchitis, Expectorant, Respiratory
Egypt
 Asthma, Bite(Snake), Bite(Spider), Catarrh, Chest, Cough, Cold, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Dropsy, Hepatitis, Splenitis
Elsewhere
 Catarrh, Demulcent, Expectorant, Head, Tonic
Europe
 Amenorrhea, Bronchial Diseases, Dandruff, Diabetes, Emollient, Expectorant, Hair Loss
India
Amenorrhea, Boils, Bronchial Diseases, Colds, Diabetes, Emmenagogue, Eczema, Febrifuge, Skin Diseases, Tonic, Wounds
Iraq
Astringent, Bronchitis, Catarrh, Cold, Cough, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogueue, Emollient, Expectorant, Pectoral, Stimulant, Sudorific, Tonic
Jamaica
 Emmenagogue
Mexico
 Amenorrhea, Alopecia, Bladder, Contraceptive, Depurative, Laxative, Liver, Pectoral, Stone
Spain
 Amenorrhea, Childbirth
US
 Amenorrhea, Astringent, Catarrh, Demulcent, Diuretic, Dysmenorrhea, Emmenagogueue, Emollient, Expectorant, Lung, Menstrual Disorders, Menstrual Pain, Pectoral, Respiratory, Sclerosis(Spleen), Sore, Stimulant, Sudorific, Tonic
Us(Amerindian)
Chill, Breathing, Fever
Avenca is a small evergreen fern that is found throughout the world in moist forests. It grows up to 35 cm high, growing in stands from its creeping rhizome with leaves up to 50 cm long. It can be found growing wild in the rainforests of the Amazon as well as more temperate moist forests in Southern Europe and the United States where it is commonly referred to as Maidenhair Fern. It has long held a place in European herbal medicine, dating back since before Disoscorides and Pliny. Culpepper said: "This and all other Maiden Hair Ferns is a good remedy for coughs, asthmas, pleurisy, etc., and on account of its being a gentle diuretic also in jaundice, gravel and other impurities of the kidneys."(1)
In the Amazon, its is called Culantrillo in Peru and Avenca in Brazil. In the Peruvian Amazon, it is considered diuretic, pectoral, sudorific, emmenagogue, expectorant, and emollient and used for coughs, urinary disorders, colds, rheumatism, heartburn, gallstones, alopecia (hair loss), and sour stomach.(2, 3) In Brazilian herbal medicine, it is recommended as a good expectorant and used for bronchitis, coughs and other respiratory problems.(4, 5) It is also widely used around the world for menstrual difficulties.
In 1989 scientists in Iraq demonstrated Avenca's antimicrobial properties. Using a methanol extract of the aerial parts with between .5 and 2 mgs per ML, they demonstrated it had antibacterial and antiyeast properties in vitro against: Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans.(6) Another group of scientists in France demonstrated Avenca's antiviral properties in vitro against Vesicular Stomatitis Virus with a Ethanol extract of 1 gram of rhizome per ml of alcohol.(7) More recently, Belgium scientists have demonstrated in mice that Avenca leaves have antihyperglycemic properties.(8, 9)
Footnotes:
  1. Grieve, Mrs. M. 1971. A Modern Herbal, Dover Publications: New York, NY

  2. Duke, James & Vasquez, Rudolfo, 1994 Amazonian Ethnobotanical Dictionary, CRC Press Inc.: Boca Raton, FL

  3. de Feo, V. 1992. Medicinal and magical plants in the northern Peruvian Andes. Fitoterapia 63: 417-440

  4. Cruz, G.L. 1995. Dicionario Das Plantas Uteis Do Brasil, 5th ed., Bertrand: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  5. Coimbra, Raul, 1994. Manual de Fitoterapia 2nd Ed., Editora Cejup: Belem, Brazil.

  6. Mahmoud, M J, et.al. In vitro antimicrobial activity of Salsola rosmarinus and Adiantum capillus-veneris. Int J Crude Drug Res 27 1: 14-16 (1989)
  7. Husson, G. P., et.al., Research into Antiviral Properties of a Few Natural Extracts. Ann Pharm Fr 44 1: 41-48 (1986)

  8. Neef, H, et.al., Hypoglycemic Activity of Selected European Plants. Pharm World & Sci 15 6: H11-. (1993)

  9. Neef, H, et.al., Hypoglycaemic Activity of Selected European Plants. Phytother Res 9 1: 45-48 (1995)
REFERENCED QUOTES
8 Adiantum capillus-veneris L. Adiantaceae. "Culantrillo", "Cebolla de venus". Shopumbillo", Maidenhair fern". Cultivated ornamental. Fronds diaphoretic, emollient, pectoral: to treat certain urinary disorders. Once used to treat cough. Now used as mosquito repellent. Emmenagogue, expectorant, and emollient when made into infusion or syrup; also used as aperitive and diuretic. A 10% infusion mixed with honey is expectorant, for rheumatism, and colds, heartburn, and sour stomach (RVM). Considered diuretic, pectoral, sudorific (FEO); decoction used for alopecia, gallstones, icteria (FEO). 4 MAIDENHAIR, TRUE
Botanical: Adiantum Capillus-veneris
Medicinal Action and Uses---Has been used from ancient times medicinally, being mentioned by Dioscorides. Its chief use has been as a remedy in pectoral complaints. A pleasant syrup is made in France from its fronds and rhizomes, called Sirop de Capillaire, which is given as a favourite medicine in pulmonary catarrhs. It is flavoured with orange flowers and acts as a demulcent with slightly stimulating effects. Narbonne Honey is generally added to the syrup.
Culpepper tells us:
'This and all other Maiden Hairs is a good remedy for coughs, asthmas, pleurisy, etc., and on account of its being a gentle diuretic also in jaundice, gravel and other impurities of the kidneys. All the Maidenhairs should be used green and in conjunction with other ingredients because their virtues are weak.'
Gerard writes of it:
‘It consumeth and wasteth away the King's Evil and other hard swellings, and it maketh the haire of the head or beard to grow that is fallen and pulled off.'
Clincial References
  1. Wunsch C, 1996. Recovery of interphase nuclei from extreme structural alterations in centrifuged fern protonemal cells. Eur J Cell Biol 71(4), 414-422 (1996)

  2. Uchida K, 1996. Isolation and characterization of the cDNA for an A-like cyclin in Adiantum capillus-veneris L. Plant Cell Physiol 37(6), 825-832 (1996)

  3. Komatsu K, 1996 Pharmacognostical studies on adiantum plants. V. Classification based on spore morphology and distributional patterns of silicon and calcium in the ultimate pinnules Yakugaku Zasshi 116(2), 125-137 (1996)

  4. Hasebe M, 1993. Phylogenetic relationships of ferns deduced from rbcL gene sequence. J Mol Evol 37(5), 476-482 (1993)

  5. Marino A, 1989, Phytochemical investigation of Adiantum capillus veneris Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper 65(5), 461-463 (1989)

  6. Namba T, 1988 Pharmacognostical studies on Adiantum plants. III. On histotaxonomy of series Venusta and the origins of related crude drugs Yakugaku Zasshi 108(12), 1179-1187 (1988)

  7. Namba T, 1988 Pharmacognostical studies on Adiantum plants. II. On histotaxonomy of series Pedata and Flabellulata and the origins of related crude drugs Yakugaku Zasshi 108(12), 1168-1178 (1988)

  8. Namba T, 1988 Pharmacognostical studies on Adiantum plants. I. On histotaxonomy of series Caudata and the origins of related crude drugs Yakugaku Zasshi 108(12), 1154-1167 (1988)

  9. Wada M, 1970 Photocontrol of the orientation of cell division in Adiantum. I. Effects of the dark and red periods in the apical cell of gametophytes. Dev Growth Differ (Nagoya) 12(2), 109-118 (1970)

  10. Berti G, 1969 Structure and stereochemistry of a triterpenoid expoxide from Adiantum capillus-Veneris. Tetrahedron 25(15), 2939-2947 (1969)