SOILLESS CULTURES FOR PHARMACEUTICAL USE AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Abstract

Soilless cultures are nowadays an important tool for both (i) large scale synthesis of pharmaceutically active products, and for (ii) ex situ conservation of endemic and/or endangered plants that are also of horticultural importance. (i) Epilobium hirsutum explants were grown on both solid- and shaken liquid-medium, for multiplication and for greater biomass production, respectively. Secondary metabolites extracted from the biomass thus obtained were mainly polyphenols (galloylglucose and monomeric and dimeric ellagitannins), which are pharmaceutically important in prostate adenoma treatment, among others. Seedlings' dry biomass production increased from 1.5 g DW L -1 to 22 g DW L -1 after 15 days when nodes/inocula were grown on shaken liquid-medium, in light, and using different phytohormonal conditions. Secondary metabolites yield (polyphenols) of seedlings was equal to or higher (under some conditions) than for intact plants grown normally, in soil, under normal conditions. (ii) In vitro conservation on solid media resulted in a collection of 12 species that are endemic and/or endangered for Europe, and 7 species for Romania, respectively. Included in this collection are: Dianthus spiculifolius, D. nardiformis, D. henteri, D. glacialis subsp. gelidus, D. haematocalyx subsp. pindicola, D. seguieri, D. sternbergii, Achillea pyrenaica, Paradisea liliastrum. Dianthus petraeus subsp. simonkaianus was the species with the best multiplication rate (110 shoots/inoculum).