What Is Polypodium Leucotomos?
What Is Polypodium Leucotomos?
A tropical American fern, now called Phlebodium aureum, sold in supplements as an extract. What it is, why it has three names, how one extract differs from another, and where it stands in the UK — with no health claims.
A tropical fern, sold as an extract.
Polypodium leucotomos is the older botanical name for Phlebodium aureum, a fern native to the tropical and subtropical Americas, sometimes called golden polypody or, in Latin America, calaguala. In supplements it is always an extract of the fern, not the whole plant. It has been sold as an extract in Europe since the 1970s and is sold today as a food supplement ingredient, with no authorised UK or EU health claims.
Polypodium leucotomos extract is sold in Europe and the UK as a food supplement ingredient, and a fern extract (Anapsos) has been marketed in Europe since the 1970s. We have not been able to confirm a published novel food status decision for it in the EU or Great Britain, so its position is not settled, and a botanical extract made in a way that differs from historical products could still count as novel. There are no authorised UK or EU health claims for Polypodium leucotomos, which is why this page talks about labels, not effects.
Why it has three names.
Botanists now place this fern in the genus Phlebodium, as Phlebodium aureum. Polypodium leucotomos and Polypodium aureum are older names for the same plant, and most supplement labels and published studies still use Polypodium leucotomos. You may also see a trade name for a specific extract on a label: that names one manufacturer's extract, not a different plant.
| Name | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| Phlebodium aureum | The current botanical name of the fern |
| Polypodium leucotomos | An older synonym, still used on most labels and in research |
| Polypodium aureum | Another older synonym |
| Golden polypody · calaguala | Common names |
| Anapsos | A name used for a fern extract sold in Europe since the 1970s |
Why "extract" is the word that matters.
Nobody sells raw fern in a capsule. Manufacturers take a plant part, usually the leaves (fronds) or the rhizome, and extract it with a solvent such as water or a water-alcohol mix, then dry the result into a powder. Three choices shape what you end up with:
| Choice | What it means on a label |
|---|---|
| Plant part | Leaf, rhizome or both. Different parts give different extracts. |
| Extract ratio | For example 4:1 or 10:1 — parts of raw plant per part of extract. It describes concentration, not the dose. |
| Standardisation | A named marker compound at a stated percentage, if the maker standardises. Not every extract is standardised. |
Because of this, two products that both say "Polypodium leucotomos 400mg" are not necessarily the same thing. The best Polypodium leucotomos supplement UK guide turns these choices into a label checklist.
How it has been studied.
Most published research on Polypodium leucotomos is laboratory and animal work, plus a small number of human studies using specific extracts. One example of human trial design: Nestor, Berman & Swenson, 2015 (Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology 8(2):19–23), a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 40 healthy adults aged 18–65, taking 240mg of extract twice daily for 60 days.
We describe research by its design and deliberately do not summarise outcomes. Polypodium leucotomos has no authorised health claim in the UK or EU.
A study describes the specific extract it used. It does not transfer automatically to a different extract, ratio or plant part.
Ready to read a label?
The buyer's guide turns extract type, ratio and serving into an eight-point checklist.
Polypodium leucotomos FAQ.
Keep going.
Last reviewed 5 October 2026 by the Vitality Supplements Editorial Team, written to our editorial standards. We make and sell food supplements; we do not currently sell a Polypodium leucotomos product. Research is described by design only. First published 5 October 2026.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the stated recommended daily dose. The novel food position of Polypodium leucotomos in Great Britain and the EU is not settled. No authorised UK or EU health claims exist for Polypodium leucotomos. No medicinal, disease or anti-ageing claims are made. Not suitable for children. Consult a healthcare professional before use if pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical supervision. General information, not medical advice. See our disclaimer.