Enhanced glycyrrhizin production in Glycyrrhiza inflata hairy roots cultures using elicitation

Glycyrrhiza inflata Batal (Leguminosae) has been used as a source of licorice. Licorice has had a high market demand due to its high medicinal value, whereas the licorice resources in the world regions are limited [1]. In vitro culture of plant is an alternative source for the production of valuable secondary metabolites [2]. In the present study, we report the condition for optimizing cell growth and glycyrrhizin production and the influence of elicitors on glycyrrhizin accumulation in hairy roots cultures of G. inflata. Hairy roots were induced by infecting stems and leaves of G. inflata with Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC 15834. Transformed roots were grown in ½MS liquid medium without hormones. The optimization of growth and glycyrrhizin accumulation of G. inflata hairy root was studied. The maximum biomass of the hairy roots culture occurred on nine weeks of culture 0.29±0.05g/flask dry wt. Glycyrrhizin production reached the maximum level in the fourth week of culture (34.79±4.11µg/g dry wt). Sucrose (6%, w/v) was optimum for growth and glycyrrhizin accumulation in G. inflata hairy roots (76.07±6.82µg/g dry wt). Effects of elicitors like chitosan, methyl jasmonate, and yeast extract on glycyrrhizin production in hairy root of G. inflata were studied. Methyl jasmonate (100µM) was the most efficient for enhancing the glycyrrhizin production up to 108.9±1.15µg/g dry wt on day 5 of elicitation. The results from this investigation indicate that application of elicitors can enhance the capacity of G. inflata hairy roots to produce glycyrrhizin.

Acknowledgement: Khon Kaen University, The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

References: 1. Rauchensteiner F et al. (2005)J Pharmaceut. Biomed 38: 594–600.

2. Wongwich, W et al. (2008) Z. Naturforsch 63C: 413–417.