Enhanced camptothecin production induced by elicitors in the cell suspension cultures of Ophiorrhiza mungos Linn.

Abstract

Production of camptothecin (CPT), an anticancer compound was enhanced in the cell suspension cultures of Ophiorrhiza mungos Linn. through elicitor treatment. Cell suspension culture was established using the friable callus tissues induced from the field grown leaf explants cultured in MS solid media supplemented with 3 % sucrose, 3 mg L−1 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 1 mg L−1 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.5 mg L−1 kinetin (KIN). The callus tissues were used for establishing cell suspension culture in half-strength MS (1/2X MS) liquid media supplemented with the same hormone concentration. NAA was found to be essential for the prolific growth of O. mungos cells in suspension culture. Influence of different elicitors such as yeast extract (YE) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) on cell growth, CPT accumulation and cell viability was studied and found that YE and AgNO3 caused a significant increase in biomass and CPT yield according to their concentration, incubation time and feeding time. A maximum of 13.3-fold increment in CPT production and threefold increase in cell growth were recorded in cell cultures elicited with 50 mg L−1 YE on the 10th day of incubation. Cell growth and CPT level were found to decrease in the cultures treated with high concentration of elicitors. CPT was estimated using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results obtained in the present investigation suggest the use of elicitation as a promising alternative method to increase CPT production and cell growth in the cell suspension cultures of O. mungos.