Abstract
The onion (<em>Allium cepa</em>) is a vegetable used extensively all over the world both for culinary purposes as well as in medicine. Its medicinal values are due to the high levels of biologically-active compounds present within the bulb. There are various phytochemicals of therapeutic importance found in <em>A. cepa</em>. Quercetin, a flavonoid, is one of these phytochemicals and it is a potent antioxidant. <em>Allium cepa</em> is a dietary supplement and is beneficial for diverse ailments, thus justifying its status as a valuable medicinal plant. Due to its medicinal significance, elicitation of total antioxidants and quercetin levels have been attempted to enhance their production in tissue callus cultures. This study reports in vitro enhancement of total antioxidants and quercetin in <em>A. cepa</em> using methyl jasmonate as an elicitor. A reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was used with an isocratic system and a flow rate of 1.0 mL min<sup>−1</sup> and a mobile phase of acetonitrile: 1% v/v acetic acid (60%:40% v/v). The detection wavelength was 362 nm and the retention time 8.79 minutes. Total antioxidant and quercetin contents were maximal with 100 µM of methyl jasmonate in leaf tissue callus cultures at 84.61 ±6.03% and 0.81 ±0.03 mg g<sup>−1</sup> dry cell weight, respectively. They decreased with further increases of methyl jasmonate at 200 µM. The increase in total antioxidant and quercetin contents were 2.3- and 13.9-fold, respectively. The optimization of methyl jasmonate as an elicitor, as well as the determination of a suitable concentration in <em>A. cepa</em> in callus cultures, will be helpful for enhanced production of various other secondary metabolites of therapeutic significance. This could be beneficial for the pharmaceutical and neutraceutical industries for herbal drug formulations.
Highlights
Allium cepa L. is one of the most consumed vegetables used both for culinary purposes and as a herbal medicine
The results showed a good effect of methyl jasmonate in elevating the level of total antioxidant in the callus cultures of A. cepa
Tissue cultures of A. cepa were made in order to enhance the production of total antioxidants and flavonoids using methyl jasmonate as an elicitor
Summary
Allium cepa L. (onion) is one of the most consumed vegetables used both for culinary purposes and as a herbal medicine. Due to its several important, pharmaceutically significant phytochemicals, A. cepa is used for the treatment of numerous diseases and disorders [8]. In ayurvedic formulations, it is used extensively in healing of wounds, cardiovascular disorders, hyperglycemia, and for stomach tumors [9]. The effect of A. cepa on the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and several fungi has confirmed its antimicrobial activity [13]. It possesses several phenolics and flavonoid phytochemicals which are reported to hold potential anticholesterol, antiinflammatory, anticancer, toxigenicity of oils, and antioxidant properties [14]. Zinc is a vital cofactor for more than 300 metalloenzymes, which are involved in the metabolism of macro- and micronutrients at the cellular level [16,17]
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