Libro

Nephrolepis cordifolia, the tuberous sword fern, is a perennial species of long-standing botanical and pharmacological interest. This monograph offers a comprehensive, research-based account of the plant, combining its botanical characteristics with phytochemical, spectroscopic, chromatographic and antimicrobial investigations. The study is based on plant material collected from the Valparai Hills of the Western Ghats. Sequential Soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol was followed by preliminary screening and quantitative analysis, which revealed phenols, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, alkaloids and tannins in the methanolic extract. FT-IR analysis characterized the major functional groups, while GC-MS identified 20 chemical constituents, led by diacetyl lycorine. The antimicrobial potential of the extracts was tested against selected bacterial and fungal strains at three concentrations. Results showed clear concentration-dependent activity. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most sensitive Gram-negative bacteria, and Candida albicans was the most responsive fungus. Beyond the experimental findings, the book brings together existing knowledge on the species taxonomy, morphology, distribution, ecology, ethnobotanical importance, phytochemistry and biological significance. The result is a systematic scientific account of N. cordifolia that provides a foundation for further taxonomic, phytochemical, molecular and biological research.