In vitro cultures of Salvia officinalis L. as a source of antioxidant compounds

Abstract

The concentrations of carnosic acid, carnosol and rosmarinic acid in different materials from differentiated (multiple shoot cultures and regenerated plants) and undifferentiated (callus and cell suspension) in vitro cultures of Salvia officinalis were determined by HPLC. The results suggested that diterpenoid (carnosic acid and carnosol) production is closely related to shoot differentiation. The highest diterpenoid yield (11.4 mg g-1 for carnosic acid and 1.1 mg g-1 for carnosol) was achieved in shoots of 10-week-old micropropagated plants. The levels were comparable to those found in shoots of naturally growing plants. Undifferentiated callus and cell suspension cultures produced only very low amounts of carnosol (ca. 0.05 mg g-1 of dry weight). In contrast, content of rosmarinic acid in callus and suspension cultures as well as shoots growing in vitro and in vivo was similar and ranged between 11.2 and 18.6 mg g-1 of dry weight.