Bryophytes: Bio- and Chemical Diversity, Bioactivity and Chemosystematics

Liverworts produce a great variety of lipophilic terpenoids, aromatic compounds, and acetogenins. Many of these constituents have characteristic scents, pungency, and bitterness, and display a quite extraordinary array of bioactivities and medicinal properties. These expressions of biological activity are summarized and discussed, and examples are given of the potential of certain lead compounds for structure-activity studies and synthesis.

The ether extract of the New Zealand liverwort Radula marginata afforded a new cannabinoid type bibenzyl compound named perrottetinenic acid, and two new bibenzyls, together with a known cannabinoid, perrottetinene. Their structures were established by two dimensional (2D) NMR spectral data. The structure of perrottetinenic acid was a similar to that of Delta(1)-tetrahydrocannabinol, a known hallucinogen. Cannabinoid type bibenzyls have been isolated from liverwort Radula perrottetii, though have not previously been reported from the liverwort R. marginata.

Bryophytes contain a large number of terpenoids and phenolic compounds. Recent topics relating to the chemical constituents found in 36 Japanese, 3 New Zealand, 2 European, 1 Argentinean and 1 Taiwanese liverworts and 2 Japanese mosses and their biological activity are discussed. The chemosystematics of some liverworts as well as the chemical relationship between liverworts and mosses, and bryophytes and ferns are also discussed.