Stenochlaena palustris, Drynaria quercifolia and Dicranopteris linearis are three Malaysian ferns used traditionally against infections. Due to the lack of scientific evidence to support the ethnopharmacological use, the present work focus on evaluating the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of these plants. The plant extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant activities using total phenols content, DPPH and FRAP assays, while the antibacterial assays were evaluated by disc diffusion and dilution methods. The methanol extracts of S. palustris and D. linearis were found to have significant antioxidant properties and were able to inhibit the growth of almost all bacteria tested at minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.5 – 1 mg/ml. The antioxidant and antibacterial effects of S. palustris and D. linearis support their use in traditional medicine for the treatment of infection and wound injuries.
