Production of Withaferin A in Shoot Cultures of Withania somnifera

Abstract

Multiple shoot cultures of Withania somnifera were established from single shoot tip explants and their potential for the production of two principle withanolides, withaferin A and withanolide D was investigated. Shoot tips grown on MS medium supplemented with BA (1 mg l^-1) induced 10.0 ± 1.15 microshoots per explants and shoot cultures accumulated both withanolides (withaferin A = 0.04 %, withanolide D = 0.06 %). Supplementation of MSSM (solid) agar medium with 4 % sucrose enhanced accumulation of both withaferin A (0.16 %) and withanolide D (0.08 %). Reduction of the agar concentration to 0.16 % increased the number of microshoots induced per explant to 25.5. MSSM liquid medium containing 10 % coconut milk favoured a maximum increase in biomass (27 fold); number of microshoots induced (37.6 ± 1.45) as well as accumulation of withaferin A (0.14 %).

Abbreviations

BA:N ⁶-Benzyladenine

Kn:Kinetin

2iP:N ⁶-[2-Isopentenyl]adenine

MS:Murashige and Skoog (1962)

MSSM:Murashige and Skoog's basal medium + BA (1 mg l^-1)

Key words

Withania somnifera - Solanaceae - shoot cultures - withaferin A - withanolide D

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