Some of those studies dealt specifically with the biosynthesis of alkaloids and obtaining the biomass for their isolation.

Some other established cultures which partially succeeded used Lycopod gametophytes or sporophytes. Since the 1950s, a number of approaches to Lycopod regeneration have been described, and some appeared to be potentially useful for large-scale propagation of the plant material, including the production of secondary metabolites. Currently, a total of approximately 350 different Lycopodium alkaloids are known, and some of them demonstrate very strong acetylcholinesterase inhibitory or butyrylcholinesterase-inhibiting activity. Although the procedure for the total HupA synthesis has been developed, the pharmaceutical industry uses mainly Huperzia serrata sporophytes collected in its natural habitat. Huperzine A (HupA, selagine), an alkaloid isolated from some club mosses, has been chosen as a promising drug candidate for Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, over 30 compounds which are AChE inhibitors are being assessed in various phases of preclinical and clinical trials, and a few have been approved for use. The review summarizes the published literature, from historical times to the present, including reports on the latest developments in the biosynthesis of alkaloids using different methods. Some hallmarks in a rich history of studies on club mosses, their complex systematics and phylogeny, and secondary metabolites with potential medicinal uses are presented. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the cholinesterase-inhibiting compound production in in vitro culture of club mosses (Lycopodiaceae sensu lato).

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