Production of Indole Alkaloids in Multiple Shoot Culture of Catharanthus roseus (L). G. Don

Abstract

Multiple shoot cultures of Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle) were directly induced, with high frequencies, from seedlings in the presence of 1.0mg/l benzyladenine. The resulting cultures consisted of unorganized tissue touching the solid medium and multiple shoots having several leaf tissues. Quantitative HPLC assay of the culture extracts showed that vindoline and catharanthine were mostly found in the shoot, especially in the leaf tissue, whereas ajmalicine was localized in the unorganized tissue. The contents of these alkaloids were much changed in the cultures; the concentration of catharanthine in the leaf tissue was several times higher than in the parent, while vindoline content of the leaf tissue was comparable to that of parent leaves.
Transfer of the cultures to a low-benzyladenine (0.1 mg/l) or a benzyladenine-free medium, stimulated the morphological development of the shoots and increased the production of vindoline and catharanthine, although growth and ajmalicine production were suppressed.