ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1662877
Pharmacological Effects and Phytochemical Profile of Methanolic Odontosoria biflora (Kaulf.) C.Chr. [Lindsaeaceae] Extract in Caenorhabditis elegans Models of Parkinson's Disease
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
- 2Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Bohol Island State University, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines
- 3Department of Parasitology, College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
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Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, with oxidative stress and inflammation as key contributors to its pathogenesis. Odontosoria biflora (Kaulf.) C.Chr. [Lindsaeaceae] is an endemic fern from Batanes Island, Philippines, traditionally consumed as “tubho tea” by the Ivatan people and culturally believed to promote longevity. The present study evaluated the pharmacological potential of O. biflora extract (OBE) in Caenorhabditis elegans models of PD. OBEs were prepared using hexane (HOBE), ethyl acetate (EOBE), methanol (MOBE), and aqueous (AOBE) solvents. Among these, MOBE demonstrated the most pronounced effects and was selected for subsequent assays. MOBE significantly reduced dopaminergic neuronal loss, decreased α-synuclein aggregation, and extended lifespan in transgenic C. elegans compared with both the negative and positive controls. Functional assays further revealed that MOBE improved mechanosensation and locomotion, supporting the relevance of neuronal preservation to motor behavior. Chemical antioxidant assays (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP), conducted as analytical tools, demonstrated a strong radical-scavenging capacity of MOBE, consistent with its phenolic content (22.3 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/g). Phytochemical profiling using high-resolution ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry identified at least eight metabolites, including 1,4-dihydroxyanthraquinone, flavonoid 8-C glycosides, 2-O-rhamnosylvitexin, khellin, isovitexin, apigenin-8-C glucoside, benzoic acid, and pterosin G. Taken together, these findings suggest that MOBE exhibits pharmacological potential in C. elegans PD models and warrants further in-depth studies in mammalian systems to validate its therapeutic relevance in higher models.
Keywords: Odontosoria biflora, Antioxidant assays, neurodegeneration, alpha-Synuclein, Caenorhabditis elegans
Received: 09 Jul 2025; Accepted: 29 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hamel Darbandi, Dalmacio and Angeles. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Meysam Hamel Darbandi, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila, Philippines
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