Effect of chemical elicitors on pentacyclic triterpenoid production in in vitro cultures of Achyranthes aspera L.

Abstract

Bioprocess technology for the production of phytochemicals from plant cell cultures mainly depends upon elicitation for enhancing the yields. The application has been successfully demonstrated in various plant species for a number of metabolites of interest. Achyranthes aspera L. is a highly traded medicinal plant known for a wide array of pharmacological properties. In this study, the effect of different concentrations of salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), jasmonic acid (JA), and chitosan (CH) on growth and accumulation of betulinic acid (BA), oleanolic acid (OA), and ursolic acid (UA) in cultures of A. aspera was investigated using RP-UFLC technique. Results for in vitro cultures grown on various concentrations of selected elicitors (50, 100, and 200 µM) were collected and studied at 7-, 15-, and 30-day intervals. Two separate experiments for elicitors with and without plant growth regulators (PGRs), i.e., 6-benzylaminopurine 3.0 mg/L and thidiazuron 0.5 mg/L, were studied. Higher fresh and dry weights were observed in all the treated tubes as compared to control. Optimum cell growth along with higher BA content was observed in MeJA-treated cultures with and without PGRs. Increased OA content was evident in 30-day cultures growing on 100 and 200 µM MeJA supplemented with PGRs. Chitosan both in media supplemented with and without PGRs produced higher content of UA at 30th day. Furthermore, it becomes important to understand the biochemical conversions in light of the metabolic pathways so that we can use this data in maneuvering production of metabolites in A. aspera.