Mayurashikha: Benefits, Evidence & Safety

TL;DR

Mayurashikha ("peacock's crest") is the Ayurvedic name for Actiniopteris dichotoma Kuhn, a small fern growing in rock crevices across India. Traditional and folk sources use its rhizomes and fronds for cough, skin conditions, sore throat, digestive complaints and fever. Modern evidence is limited to a few laboratory studies (including in-vitro antibacterial activity); no human trials exist. (51 words. Sources: Bandyopadhyay & Dey, Beni-Suef Univ J Basic Appl Sci 2022; Moorthy et al., J Chem Pharm Res 2013.)

What it is

Mayurashikha (Sanskrit: मयूरशिखा, "peacock's crest") is a small terrestrial fern of the family Actiniopteridaceae (Pteridaceae), named for fronds that fan out like a peacock's crest. This article follows the identification Actiniopteris dichotoma Kuhn, as used in a 2022 peer-reviewed review of medicinal pteridophytes (Bandyopadhyay & Dey, Beni-Suef Univ J Basic Appl Sci).

A note on taxonomy: some Indian sources treat Actiniopteris dichotoma as a synonym of the closely related Actiniopteris radiata (J. Koenig ex Sw.) Link: a Patanjali-sourced monograph, for example, gives the botanical name as Actiniopteris radiata with A. dichotoma Bedd. as synonym (1mg/Patanjali mayurshikha monograph): while the Springer pteridophyte review catalogues the two separately. Botanical identity of a given "mayurashikha" sample may therefore need expert confirmation.

Traditional use

These are traditional and folk claims, not clinical proof: the evidence assessment follows separately.

According to the Springer review of medicinal pteridophytes, the rhizomes of Actiniopteris dichotoma are used in folk medicine for chronic cough, gallstones, gastrointestinal problems, infection, Hansen's disease, skin conditions, high blood sugar and hyperthermia. The leaves are chewed for sore throats, and boiled rhizomes are applied to remove dandruff (Bandyopadhyay & Dey 2022).

An Ayurvedic materia-medica account describes mayurashikha as astringent and cooling, used traditionally as a styptic (bleeding-stopping), for burning of the throat (leaves chewed), for diarrhoea (decoction), for urinary-stone-related pain, and for fevers (1mg/Patanjali mayurshikha monograph). A critical review poster of Actiniopteris radiata (the close relative/synonym) lists reported activities including anthelmintic, anti-tubercular, styptic, analgesic and antioxidant properties in folk use (Actiniopteris radiata critical review poster).

What modern research says

Antibacterial activity (in-vitro)

The clearest laboratory study: Moorthy et al. (2013) extracted the whole plant of Actiniopteris radiata with petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, methanol and water and tested the extracts by the well-diffusion method. The water and methanolic extracts showed strong antibacterial activity at 100–300 µg/mL, with chloramphenicol as the positive control (J Chem Pharm Res). This is a petri-dish finding, not evidence of clinical benefit.

Other reported activities (preclinical/unclear)

Encyclopedia-style summaries attribute analgesic, anthelmintic, anti-tubercular and antioxidant properties to aqueous and ethanolic extracts, along with constituents such as hentriacontane, β-sitosterol and quercetin-3-rutinoside: but these summaries trace to Wikipedia, which this site's standards do not accept as a sole source, so they are mentioned here only as reported claims awaiting primary verification.

What the evidence does not support (yet)

No human clinical trial of mayurashikha (under either botanical name) for any condition was identified. The fern's traditional uses, for cough, fever, skin disease, diabetes, or urinary stones, have no controlled human evidence behind them.

Safety & contraindications

Safety data is limited: talk to a clinician. No human safety study of mayurashikha was identified; the laboratory antibacterial study tested extracts in petri dishes, not in people. Traditional preparations use decoctions and powders at folk doses, but without toxicity or interaction data these cannot be endorsed for self-use. Do not use in pregnancy or breastfeeding, and do not combine with prescription medicines, without qualified practitioner guidance.

FAQs

What is mayurashikha?

Mayurashikha ("peacock's crest") is a small fern, identified in a peer-reviewed review as Actiniopteris dichotoma Kuhn, growing in rock crevices across India (Springer pteridophyte review). Its fan-shaped fronds resemble a peacock's crest. Some sources use the name Actiniopteris radiata for the same plant, so identity can be ambiguous.

What is mayurashikha traditionally used for?

Folk sources use its rhizomes for chronic cough, gallstones, digestive problems, skin conditions, fever and high blood sugar, and chew its leaves for sore throats (Springer review). Ayurvedic materia medica adds styptic, anti-diarrhoeal and urinary uses (1mg/Patanjali monograph). None of these has human-trial support.

Is there scientific evidence for mayurashikha?

Very little. One laboratory study found water and methanolic extracts strongly antibacterial in petri-dish tests (J Chem Pharm Res). No animal or human clinical studies of its traditional uses were identified: the evidence base is essentially a blank page.

Is mayurashikha the same as Adiantum (hanspadi)?

No. Mayurashikha is Actiniopteris dichotoma (family Actiniopteridaceae), while hanspadi/hamsapadi usually refers to Adiantum species such as A. capillus-veneris (family Adiantaceae). Vendor and blog pages sometimes confuse the two ferns, but the peer-reviewed pteridophyte review treats them as distinct genera with different ethnobotanical uses (Springer review).

Is mayurashikha safe?

Safety data is limited: talk to a clinician. No human safety studies of mayurashikha exist, and traditional folk preparations (decoctions, powders, chewed leaves) have no toxicology or interaction data behind them. Nothing is known about its effects in pregnancy, during breastfeeding, or alongside prescription medicines, so it should not be self-administered. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding and do not combine with prescription drugs without qualified practitioner advice.

Sources

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Herbal products can interact with medications and are not suitable for everyone. Talk to a qualified healthcare practitioner before use — especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, managing a medical condition, or taking prescription medicines.