Total flavonoid contents, antioxidant potential and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity of the extracts from 15 ferns in China

•Flavonoids contents and bioactivities of extracts from 15 species of ferns were investigated.•Antioxidant activities of flavonoids extracts from these ferns showed a obvious relationship with its total flavonoid contents.•The extract from Lemmaphyllum carnosum significantly inhibited AChE activity.

Fern species have been classified as traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. However, the phytochemicals and bioactivities of most fern species were rarely explored. Herein, we examined the total flavonoid contents, in vitro antioxidant potential and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of the extracts from 15 fern species in Yunnan Province of China. The total flavonoid contents ranged from 4.67 to 125.88 mg/g (w/w, dry weight). Their antioxidant potentials were evaluated by the radical scavenging, superoxide anion scavenging, and reducing power, which indicated that most of the extracts from these fern species showed very strong radical and superoxide anion scavenging ability. However, among these 15 fern species, only five extracts from Pyrrosia petiolosa, Polypodiodes amoena, Araiostegia imbricate, Pseudodrynaria coronans, and Pilea nummulariifolia showed acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. The polyphenol profiles of Lemmaphyllum carnosum with highest total flavonoid content were identified as dehydroagastol, bufotalin, chlorogrnic acid, monogalloyl-glucose, luteolin 7-O-β-d-gluscoside, kaempferol 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyr-anoside, myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-O-galactoside, apigenin 7-O-glucoside, and Woorenoside II.