Effects of media and carbon sources on growth and canthin-6-ones accumulation in hairy root cultures of Eurycoma harmadiana

Abstract

Eurycoma harmandiana Pierre belongs to Simaroubaceae family which is a Thai traditional medicinal plant used for intermittent fever (Malaria). The major bioactive compounds of the these plants are quassinoids and canthin-6-one alkaloids which possessed cytotoxic, antimalarial, and aphrodiasiac[1 – 2]. In this study, the effects of various basal media and carbon sources on growth and canthinone alkaloids production in hairy root cultures of E. harmadiana was investigated. The effect of basal media on the hairy root biomass was no significantly different, while the highest amount of alkaloids, 9-hydroxycanthin-6-one (5.75 mg/g dry weight) and 9-methoxycanthin-6-one (5.87 mg/g dry weight), could be obtained in B5 liquid medium. At fructose of 3% (w/v), the production of 9-methoxycanthin-6-one (5.74 mg/g dry weight) is promoted to gain the highest yield, while 3% (w/v) mannitol gave the highest amount of 9-hydroxycanthin-6-one (4.94 mg/g dry weight), compared to other carbon sources tested. This study suggests that the successful production of 9-hydroxycanthin-6-one and 9-methoxycanthin-6-one in vitro cultures has a potential in large-scale production using bioreactor technology.