Phytochemicals from bryophytes: Structures and biological activity

Little attention has been paid to the bryophytes as sources for human diet despite the presence of 23,000 species in the world. Some mosses contain Vitamin B1, tocopherols, prostaglandin-like highly unsaturated fatty acids and phenolic compounds. On the other hand, liverworts contain enantiomeric mono-, sesqui-and diterpenoids similar to those found in vascular plants. Additionally, they possess bibenzyls, bis-bibenzyls and polyketides, many of them showing various bioactivity, such as antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines, muscle relaxing, antioxidant and others. In this paper, the structures of phytochemicals from bryophytes and their biological activities are discussed.