Claopodium crispifolium

The first report of in vivo antitumor activity of a bryophyte appeared in 1986 in a review of results of screening of bryophytes in the National Cancer Institute s antitumor screening program by Spjut, Suffness, Cragg and Norris [20]. Subsequent studies, however, led to the conclusion that this bryophyte species, Claopodium crispifolium, was contaminated with a microorganism which contained maytansinoids, a well known class of antitumor macrolides [21]. 

Campylophyllum halleri (Sw. ex Hedw.) M. Fleisch(2) Campylophyllum halleri (Sw. ex Hedw.) M. Fleisch. (1) Caribaeohypnum polypterum (Mitt.) Ando Higuchi Claopodium crispifolium (Hook.) Renauld Card. Claopodium whippleanum (Sull.) Renauld Card. (1)... 

There is a possibility that maytansinoid compounds may be synthesized by bacteria or fungi and transferred to plants. Spjut et al. (84) point out the likelihood of this occurring in mosses. The extreme variation in cytotoxicity from ansamitocin P-3 among different samples led them to look more closely for associated fungi or Cyanobacteria. While mycorrhizal relationships could not be confirmed, the presence of considerable Nostoc with the highly active samples suggests the possibility of accumulation in this way. Suwanborirux et al. (78) similarly could not exclude the source of ansamitocin P-3 in Claopodium crispifolium from actinomycete contamination. 

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