Bioactive Compounds in Bryophytes and Pteridophytes

This reference work provides a comprehensive overview of bioactive compounds investigated in bryophytes and pteridophytes and explores their nutritional, biological, pharmacological and ecological effects. Bryophytes are cosmopolitan lower plants that are rich in phytochemicals including fatty acids, tocopherols, phenolics, terpenoids. Additionally, these plants contain bibenzyls, bis-benzyls, and polyketides which have been demonstrated to have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities. Pteridophytes are another group of lower vascular plants which were reported to have useful secondary compounds such as flavonoids, steroids, phenolics, terpenoids, and these plants impart medicinal values including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-HIV activities.

This book contains comprehensive contributions compiled by expert scientists and researchers in this field.The book offers a useful resource for plant biotechnologists, plant biologists, pharmacologists, pharmacists, food technologists, nutritionists, research investigators of the healthcare industry, academia, faculty, and students of biology and biomedical sciences. It also provides a strategic framework for further research and development activities of bryophytes and pteridophytes of the world.

Prof. Hosakatte Niranjana Murthy in the Post-Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India, has obtained his Ph. D. degree from the same university. He has a tremendous passion for research and academics. Since, 1986, Prof. Murthy has served in various positions in the Post-Graduate Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, India. Apart from teaching experience in the area of plant biotechnology. Prof. Murthy has post-doctoral and collaborative research experience in many foreign research institutes. He worked at Biotechnology Division, Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi, India (1992); Crop Science Department, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada (1993); Research Centre for the Development of Horticultural Technology, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South Korea (2000-2001; 2002, 2004, 2006-2007, 2013-2014); and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom (2005-2006) as a post-doctoral fellow/visiting scientist. Prof. Murthy is the recipient of various prestigious fellowships including Biotechnology National Associate and Biotechnology overseas Associate (awarded by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India), Brian Pool Fellowship (awarded by Korean Society of Science and Technology, South Korea), visiting fellowship (awarded by Korean Science and Engineering Foundation, South Korea), Commonwealth Post-doctoral Fellowship (awarded by Korean Association of Commonwealth Universities, UK). He has completed more than 15 research projects funded by various agencies and supervised 20 Ph. D. students Prof. Murthy has published 225 research articles in international peer-reviewed journals with high impact factors. His research has been cited more than 4700 times by fellow researchers and his H-index (Hirsch Index) of 37 as recorded by Scopus.