Tropane alkaloids in the adventitious and hairy root cultures of solanaceous plants

Abstract

Abstract Adventitious and hairy root cultures of several solanaceous plant species were established. The highest content of tropane alkaloids was obtained in the adventitious roots of Hyoscyamus albus cultured in hormone-free 1/2 MS liquid medium. On the other hand the hairy roots of H. albus transformed with A. rhizogenes strain MAFF 03-01724 grew very fast and yielded over 5 mg/100 ml flask of hyoscyamine within 22 days of culture. The alkaloid content in the hairy roots of H. niger was higher than that of its adventitious roots. 7β-Hydroxyhyoscyamine, recently isolated, was produced in the hairy roots of Scopolia tangutica and Datura innoxia, while it could not be detected in their adventitious root cultures.