Occurrence of terpenes, polyketides, and tannins in some Japanese lichens and green mosses

Terpenes, polyketides, and tannins are valuable chemical classes that are famous for their varied biological activities such as being antioxidant, anticancer, antibiotic, and immunosuppressant agents. On the other hand, lichens and mosses are rich sources of biologically active compounds. However, rare studies have described neither the chemical analyses nor the biological activities of such samples. In this review, the chemical constitutions of five Japanese originated lichens and moss samples belonging to the species Candelariella vitellina, Lepraria incana, Dirinaria applanata, Brachythecium velutinum, and Brachythecium rutabulum were described with focus on three chemical classes which are terpenes such as Dechloromycorrhizin A, Hericenone A, demethoxyviridin, Scytalidic acid, Ovellin B, Ceriporic acid B, Ganodermatriol, Fomefficinic acid A, Ganoderol A, Ganoderol F; polyketides such as Chaetoquadrin A, Comazaphilone C, Hormothamnione, Arnottianamide, Avermutin, 4′-Hydroxyphlebiarubrone, 4′-Hydroxyphlebiarubrone, Citropone A, Atrovenetin; and finally secondary metabolites (tannins) such as 5′ methoxydehydrodiconiferyl alcohol, ellagic acid 3,3′-di-O-methyl ether, 5,5′-dehydrodiferulic acid, 3,3′,4-tri-O-methylellagic acid, and 5′-methoxydehydrodiconiferyl alcohol.