SECONDARY METABOLITES FROM BRYOPHYTES IN VITRO CULTURES

Abstract

  In vitro cultures of bryophytes are useful for the production of plant material that otherwise has been available only in minor amounts from field collections. Species of hornworts and liverworts were cultivated, and plant material obtained had qualitatively and quantitatively the same compounds as field collected plants.

  During the last five years a number of new substances has been isolated from in vitro cultures of bryophytes. In liverworts, these new compounds included various sesqui-, di- and triterpenes, bibenzyl-, bisbibenzyl- and phenanthren derivatives. A new coloring agent of the cell wall was found in cultures of Ricciocarpos natans. The accumulation of the compound could be enhanced by variation of the culture methods. Cultures of mosses produced various flavonoids and hornworts were rich in phenylpropanoids. In cultures of Anthoceros agrestis a new type of alkaloid was isolated.

  The paper gives a short review on secondary compounds from bryophyte in vitro cultures based on results from the authors labora-tory and from literature data.