The fern Polypodium decumanum, used in the treatment of psoriasis, and its fatty acid constituents as inhibitors of leukotriene B4 formation.

The fern Polypodium decumanum, commonly called Calaguala, has a clinically documented use in South America and Spain in the treatment of psoriasis. One of the inflammatory mediators isolated in abnormally high quantities in the psoriatic skin is leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Calaguala was tested in an in vitro model using human leukocytes for its ability to inhibit the LTB4 formation. The inhibition was found to be caused by the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acid. IC50 values were determined for the isolated acids and compared to a group of closely related acids also commonly found in nature. The IC50 values for most acids tested were of the same magnitude (20-60 microM) except for arachidonic acid which showed stimulatory activity and 8(R) hydroxylinoleic acid which gave 30% inhibition with the highest dose tested (120 microM). The amounts of PUFAs in different Calaguala extracts were quantitatively analysed and it is concluded that the fatty acid constituents of Calaguala may contribute to the clinical effects of the extract.