Using arsenic (As) hyperaccumulators to extract As from contaminated soils is an effective and low-cost technology. Most of the known As hyperaccumulators belong to Pteris species. The present study aims to explore the responses and role of arsenate reductase (AR) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in As hyperaccumulating fern species (Pteris vittata, and P. multifida) and non-As hyperaccumulating species (P. ensiformis, and P. semipinnata) when grown in soils added with 0 (control), 100, and 200 mg/kg (dry weight) of arsenic as Na(2)HAsO(4).7H(2)O. The results show that AR activities of roots, SOD activities and As concentrations in both roots and fronds of the four Pteris plants increased when exposed to As-contaminated soils. AR activities of roots were much higher, but SOD activities and As concentrations of roots were lower than those of fronds. It is concluded that AR of roots and SOD of both roots and fronds may play important roles to accumulate and detoxify As in the four Pteris species.