Samambaia is a fern that grows in the rainforests of South America. The Polypody Family contains three quarters of all ferns with over 6,000 species of plants, mostly in the tropics of both hemispheres. There are 75 species of plants in the Polypodium genus, many of which have been used medicinally for centuries.⁽¹⁾ The name is derived from poly, meaning "many" and podus, meaning "a foot" because of the many foot-like divisions of the root or rhizome of polypody ferns.

Samambaia, like most ferns, has this large creeping and dividing root or rhizome system, and it is the rhizome which it most used medicinally. In the Amazon rainforest a maceration of Samambaia rhizome is used for fever, while the root is grated fresh or made into a tea for whooping cough and renal indispositions.⁽¹⁾ The Boras indigenous tribe in the Peruvian Amazon prepare the leaves in a drink for coughs.⁽²⁾ Other Peruvian indigenous tribes use the rhizome for problems of the pancreas.⁽³⁾ In the rainforest in Guyana, Creole indigenous groups use a decoction of the rhizome in ritual baths for infants.⁽⁴⁾ Indigenous groups in Latin America call the plant Calaguala and use the rhizome for many different remedies including cancer and psoriasis.⁽⁵⁾

There are many types of ferns used in traditional medicine around the world. Polypodium vulgare is a common fern indigenous to the forests of Europe which has held a place in herbal medicine there for centuries. Most ferns, including the European P. vulgar and the South American P. decumanum are considered alterative, tonic, pectoral and expectorant being used for numerous types of upper respiratory conditions.^{(1,7 )} In Brazilian traditional medicine Samambaia is considered alterative, sudorific, antirheumatic, tonic, pectoral and expectorant; widely used for coughs, bronchitis, gripe, other upper respiratory problems as well as rheumatism and skin problems.^{(7 ,8)}In Peruvian herbal medicine the rhizome is used for coughs, fevers, urinary infections, as well as skin affections like psoriasis, boils, ulcers, and abscesses of the skin.⁽⁹⁾

There has been a great deal of deal scientific interest in polypodium plants recently. Numerous potentially biodynamic compounds have been found in this family of plants including flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, phloroglucides, tetracyclic triterpenes and alkaloids.⁽¹⁰⁾ A northern relative of Samambaia indigenous to Guatemala, Polypodium leucotomos , has been the subject of research in the last three years for its immunomodulating effects and its application in numerous autoimmune diseases.^(11-12) This immunomodulating effect has been attributed to a phytochemical called, Anapsos, which is also present in Samambaia. Most of the recent research on Samambaia has been for its use in psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disease which is now believed to be linked to immunological mechanisms.⁽¹³⁾ The clinical effect of Samambaia has been demonstrated in a number of studies from 1974 to 1987 in which patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis have been successfully treated using an extract of the above ground parts of Polypodium decumanum.⁽¹³⁾ Scientists have been searching for the reason Samambaia has been successful in treating psoriasis and dermatitis ever since. Scientists have shown that one possibility of its beneficial effects in psoriasis is it's immunomodulating activity with the phytochemical anapsos.^{(14, 15)} Its immunomodulatory effects were also demonstrated in clinical experiments with healthy volunteers, showing that Samambaia extracts increased the number of T-suppressor lymphocytes (T8+) without affecting the number of T-helper (T4+) lymphocytes or B-cells.⁽¹³⁾

In addition, recent findings have indicated that PAF (platelet-activating factor) might be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In a 1992 clinical study, a phytochemical isolated in Samambaia called adenosine was shown to significantly inhibit this activity.⁽¹⁶⁾ In 1997, another phytochemical called sulphoquinovosyl diacylglycerol was isolated and was shown to significantly inhibit this activity as well.⁽¹⁷⁾ Samambaia is also a rich source of essential fatty acids. A number of unsaturated fatty acids have been shown to affect another chemical process in the body which produces a chemical called leukotreine.⁽¹³⁾ Researchers have proven that psoriatic skin has abnormally high quantities of leukotriene which is believed to be one of the causes of the inflammation in psoriasis. In a 1994 clinical study, the fatty acid components in Samambaia were shown to be effective in blocking this process of producing excess leukotreine.⁽¹⁸⁾

Scientists will probably continue studying Samambaia and why it works while natural health practitioners around the world continue using it effectively for many purposes without knowing the specific chemicals which are creating the beneficial effects. In addition to psoriasis, practitioners in the U.S. are now using Samambaia for coughs, bronchitis, chest colds, flu, disorders of the respiratory passages and immune system, rheumatism, gout, and high blood pressure.^{(19 - 21)}

1 "Samambaia has been proven effective against cough, bronchitis, chest colds, flu, and disorders of the respiratory passages. It is also used for rheumatism and gout. It has diuretic and diaphoretic properties (causes perspiration) and is known to lower blood pressure." 2 "Samambaia has been used as a general tonic for rheumatism. It helps to detoxify the body and support the immune system." 10 "Polypodium decumanum Willd. Polypodiaceae. "Calagula", "Huayhuashi-shupa". Rhizome maceration uded for feverm whooping cough (grated or in infustion), and renal indispositions. From the leaves the "Boras" prepare a drink for coughs (DAT). Rhizome use to treat the pancreas (RVM). "Creoles" use the decocotion in reitual baths for infants (GMJ). In Latin America, "calagula", "Hantes" and "matico" are among the first mentioned when the subject is medicinal plants, especially cancer (JAD)." 11 "The primary Amazon herbs used for their synergistic effects during athletic training and recovery include the following: Catuaba and Marapuama as strong tonics and nervous system fortifiers; Marapuama also for its anti-rheumatic properties; Sarsaparilla to increase circulation, clear toxins and stimulate metabolism; Iporuru for support of muscle and joint structure; Samambaia for detoxification of waste products and anti-rheumatic properties; Una de gato for antioxidant properties; Tayuya to remove lactic acid accumulations; and Suma for anabolic (muscle-building) effects. (See Table 1)" 21 "POLYPODIACEAE

Polypody Family
The Polypodiaceae, a fern family, comprises approximately 50 genera. Most of the species are low epiphytes without a trunk but with creeping rhizomes. They differ widely in habit. The family, which makes up three quarters of all ferns, has 6000 species widely distributed in both hemispheres, mostly in the tropics. Recently, a number of new families have been proposed for some of the tropical species. Numerous potentially biodynamic compounds have been found in the family, including flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, cyanogenic compounds, phloroglucides, tetracyclic triterpenes (Arai, 1984) and unnamed alkaloids. Extracts of various members of the family show antimicrobial activity (Shcherbanovski, 1979). Most of the recently reported work refers to the genus Polypodium.
Polypodium Linnaeus
The 75 species of Polypodium are of cosmopolitan distribution but concentrated i the northern hemisphere. Most are epiphytic with branched, creeping rhizomes and pinnatifid to pinnately compound leaves.
Polypodium aureum Linnaeus, Sp. PI. 2 (1753) 1087.
PI 6362
The rhizome buds are medicinally valued by the Witotos in treating coughs.
REFERENCES:
Arai, Y., K. Masuda and H. Ageta, Shoyakugaku Zasshi 38 (1984) 53 (C. A. 101:167355k).
Shcherbanovski, C. R., Fitontsidy: Rol Biogeotsenozakh, Znach. Med., Mater. Soveshch. 8th (1979) 121 (Publ. 1981) (C. A. 97:89062v)."