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Volatile Compounds and Oils from Mosses and Liverworts

Abstract:

Bryophytes are small, non-vascular plants, such as mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. They play a vital role in regulating ecosystems; some bryophyte species are among the first to colonize open ground. Bryophytes do not have seeds or flowers; instead, they reproduce via spores, and these species are also very good indicators of habitat quality. Volatile compounds and essential oils have been extracted by hydrodistillation and by solvent from some species of bryophytes. The chemical composition of the isolated oils and the nature of the volatile compounds have been determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and gas chromatography coupled to the flame initiation detector. This chapter presents the chemical composition of 76 essential oils from mosses and liverworts, identifying a significant variety of compositions. These findings open new potential research trends to investigate the biological activity of these essential oils. The growing demand for natural products by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food markets points to new opportunities for the protection and sustainable use of natural resources.