Towards understanding of physiological changes in cell culture of recalcitrant woody plant, Eurycoma longifolia, in response to carbon and nitrogen sources

Abstract

Eurycoma longifolia possesses high medicinal and economical values owing mainly to its aphrodisiac properties claimed by the local communities in Southeast Asia regions. However, the long cultivation period, low successful rate of seed propagation and susceptibility towards pests and diseases have affected the supply of E. longifolia to meet the high market demand. Thus, the large scale production of E. longifolia using cell suspension technique is tantalizing. In this study, the E. longifolia cells cultivated in shake flask system were subjected to different carbon and nitrogen sources treatments. The cells treated with glucose gave the highest increment of fresh weight (0.4386 ± 0.0120 g/mL), with increment of total soluble protein content, 0.71 ± 3.05 mg/g FW and increment of specific activity of peroxidase, 5410.04 ± 1221.43 U/mg. Glucose-treated cells also achieved the highest carbon source utilization rate (2.81 ± 0.31 mg/mL/Day). For the cells treated with different nitrogen sources, the potassium nitrate (KNO3) treatment gave the highest increment of fresh weight (0.2601 ± 0.0387 g/mL), with increment of total soluble protein content, 0.62 ± 0.00 mg/g and increment of specific activity of peroxidase, -3691.57 ± 2717.18 U/mg. The cells also had the highest sucrose utilization rate (2.92 ± 0.02 mg/mL/Day). Key words: Carbon utilization rate, cell suspension culture, Eurycoma longifolia, specific activity of peroxidases, total soluble protein content.