GC-MS-BASED METABOLITE PROFILING OF WILD AND IN VITRO GROWING PLANTS OF SATUREJA MONTANA L.

Abstract

Satureja montana L. is used as a traditional culinary spice in the Balkan Peninsula cuisine, as well as in the folk and traditional medicine for treatment of different diseases. The supply of secondary metabolites from naturally growing plants has many restrictions, such as biomass availability and variations in the chemical composition, which is most strongly affected by seasonal and environmental factors. These disadvantages could be overcome by cultivating plants in optimized and controlled in vitro conditions. The purpose of the current study was to compare the phytochemical compositions of newly developed in vitro plants and intact plants of S. montana used for production of secondary metabolites. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of a number of primary (carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids and lipids) and secondary metabolites (phenolic acids) with pharmacological and biological activities beneficial to humans. The results revealed that in vitro S. montana plants are a potential biotechnological matrix for the production of valuable biologically active substances for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.