Bryophytes Used in Folk Medicine: An Ethnobotanical Overview

Bryophytes are considered the oldest living plants of terrestrial habitats and closest modern relatives ancestors earliest plants. found on all continents occupy xeric to aquatic niches, with greatest diversity biomass in cool temperate regions. Despite lesser popularity these organisms, bryophytes have ethnopharmacological importance different cultures world, especially Chinese, Indian, Native American medicine. Different bryophyte extracts isolated compounds shown anti-microbial, antiviral, cytotoxic effects. The present overview aims highlight use for treatment common ailments folk medicine around world collect, analyze, summarize available literature pharmacological activity most used mosses liverworts. Based review, 109 wild taxa Bryophyta being ethnomedical purposes been documented. Overall, 170 uses were recorded considered. Herbal remedies skin hair care by far commonly reported (25.0%); antipyretic account 12.2%, while as medicinal treatments respiratory gastro-intestinal systems amount 12.1% 9.9%, respectively.