ABSTRACT
From the knowledge of ethno-medicinal uses of bryophytes and the modern research on chemical constituents of some of the plant members, the bryophytes are supposed to have major natural activities. Antioxidant activity is measured as one of the key characteristics of bioactivities and is in focus of attention to pharmacists. Free radicals perform the chief task in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Antioxidative potential of bryophytes can be determined by various methods such as DH radical scavenging assay, ABTS•+ radical scavenging assay, hydrogen peroxide radical, metal chelating activity, ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay, and FTIR spectroscopy. The present chapter deals with literature covering the antioxidative aspects of bryophytes. Natural antioxidants form a promising alternative for synthetic ones. Thus, a positive correlation between traditional use and scientific evaluation could create a substitute source of new medicinal compounds, which might overcome the expensive research of synthetic drugs and their detrimental side effects.
