Rosavin as a product of glycosylation by Rhodiola rosea (roseroot) cell cultures

The paper discusses glycosylation of trans-cinnamyl alcohol to obtain the biologically active compound rosavin and possibly other cinnamoylglycosides. Cell suspension cultures of Rhodiola rosea were established from callus of leaf origin cultured under light in a modified Murashige and Skoog medium. Under these conditions, no rosavin was formed. However, when trans-cinnamyl alcohol (2.5 mM; in MeOH) was added to the medium, after 72 h incubation cells transformed over 90% of the cinnamyl alcohol into a number of unidentified products. The structure of potential rosavin accumulated in intracellular spaces was elucidated as [3-phenyl-2-propenyl-O-(6'-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl) -beta-D-glucopyranoside] by means of chemical and spectral analysis using TLC, HPLC, UV, LSIMS and NMR methods. Rosavin yields of 0.03-1.01% dry weight were obtained. The actual amount depended on the cell strain cultured and the biotransformation period.