Bryophytes: a powerful source of biologically active compounds

Bryophytes are generally considered the first plants appeared on the Earth. Taxonomically, they are placed between Algae and Pteridophytes. The medicinal traditional use of bryophytes has been documented for a long time in many countries. Bryophytes contain numerous potentially useful compounds and strong antioxidative enzymatic machinery, which help them to cope up with extreme climates and stresses, and, in several cases, the total antioxidant amount was found higher than in other antioxidant common sources even if not yet fully known. Thus, a positive correlation between the folklore use and the scientific evaluation could generate an alternative source of novel medicinal compounds, whic…