Abstract
Ever since regulatory changes introduced herbals into mainstream supermarkets and pharmacies, there has been an explosion of demand for herbal plants and extracts which can be used to improve human health and well being. Science still lacks a basic mechanistic understanding of how environmental triggers regulate phytochemical accumulation, but this gap can be bridged using in vitro models to examine herbal species responses. For St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), uniform in vitro shoot cultures were set up as a parallel to a previously established sand culture system for investigation of physical and chemical environmental factors that control hypericin accumulation. Cytokinin supplementation of shoot culture medium resulted in a proliferation of abundant leaf glands with enhanced levels of hypericin, as compared to controls. Cell cultures of echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) were established, and hydrophilic pharmacological components (caffeic acid derivatives) were detected. A protocol of rigorous explant pretreatment, and use of newly emerging vegetative shoots permitted establishment of axenic kava (Piper methysticum) callus, which was used to regenerate roots (organogenesis). Kavapyrone synthesis was achieved in both undifferentiated cell cultures and in cultured roots, although at lower levels than found in in vivo root systems. The predominance of kavain and methysticin in both forms of the in vitro cultures was parallel to the relative proportions from kava roots in vivo. The cell and organ cultures of all three herbal medicinals provide advantageous, easily-manipulated models to decipher environmental controls of phytochemical biosynthesis.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bauer R (1999) Standardization of Echnicaea purpurea expressed juice with reference to cichoric acid and alkamides. J. Herb Spice Med. Plant 6: 51–62
Brevoort P (1998) The blooming U.S. botanical market. A new overview. HerbalGram 44: 33–46
Briskin D (2000) Medicinal plants and phytomedicines. Linking plant biochemistry and physiology to human health. Plant Physiol. 124: 507–514
Briskin D, Leroy A & Gawienowski M (2000) Influence of nitrogen on the production of hypericins by St. John's wort. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 38: 413–420
Briskin DP, Kobayashi H, Mehta A, Gawienowski MC, Ainsworth L & Smith MAL (2001) Production of kavapyrones by kava (Piper methysticum) tissue cultures. Plant Cell Rep. 20: 556–561
Choffe K, Victor J, Murch S & Saxena P (2000) In vitro regeneration of Echinacea purpurea L.: Direct somatic embryogenesis and indirect shoot organogenesis in petiole culture. In Vitro Cell. Devel. Biol. Plant 36: 30–36
Choffe K, Murch S & Saxena P (2001) Regeneration of Echinacea purpurea: Induction of root organogenesis from hypocotyl and cotyledon explants. Plant Cell Tiss. Organ Cult. 63: 227–234
Denke A, Schneider W & Elstner E (1999) Biochemical activ-ities of extracts from Hypericum perforatum L.: Inhibition of metenkephaline-and tyrosine-dimerization. Arzneimittel-Forschung 49: 109–114
Eder M & Mehnert W (1998) Importance of concomitant compounds in plant extracts. Pharmazie 53: 285–293
Fornasiero RB, Bianchi A & Pinetti A (1998) Anatomical and ul-trastructural observations in Hypericum perforatum L. leaves. J. Herb. Spices Med. Plant 5: 21–33
Ganzera M & Khan I (1999) Analytical techniques for the determ-ination of lactones in Piper methysticum Forst. Chromatographia 50: 649–653
Harbage J (2001) Micropropagation of Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, and E. purpurea from stem and seed explants. HortSci. 36: 360–364
Kochian L & Garvin D (1999) Agricultural approaches to improving phytonutrient content in plants: An overview. Nutr. Rev. 57: S13–S18
Lebot V, Johnston E, Zheng Q-Y, McKern D & McKenna D (1999) Morphological, phytochemical, and genetic variation in Hawaiian cultivars of ‘Awa’ (kava, Piper methysticum,Piper-aceae). Econ. Bot. 53: 407–418
Mulinacci N, Bardazzi C, Romani A, Pinelli P, Vincieri F & Constantini A (1999) HPLC-DAD and TLC-densitometry for quantification of hypericin in Hypericum perforatum L. extracts. Chromatographia 49: 197–201
Murashige T & Skoog F (1962) A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol. Plant. 15: 473–497
Percival S (2000) Use of echinacea in medicine. Biochem. Pharmacol. 60: 155–158
Rogers RB & Smith MAL (1992) Consequences of in vitro and ex vitro root initiation for miniature rose production. J. Hort. Sci. 67: 535–540
Saucier C & Waterhouse A (1999) Synergetic activity of catechin and other antioxidants. J. Agric. Food Chem. 47: 4491–4494
World Health Organization (WHO) (1999) WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants, Vol. 1. WHO, Geneva
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, M.A.L., Kobayashi, H., Gawienowski, M. et al. An in vitro approach to investigate medicinal chemical synthesis by three herbal plants. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 70, 105–111 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016081913719
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016081913719