Elicitation of secondary metabolites in in vitro cultures of Ammi majus L.

The present study was concentrated on the production of secondary metabolites in callus, cell suspension and hairy roots of Anum majus L. by exposing them to elicitors: benzo(1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothionic acid S-methyl ester (BION(R)) and autoclaved lysate of cell suspension of bacteria-Enterobacter sakazaki. GC and GC-MS analysis of chloroform and methanol extracts indicated a higher accumulation of umbelliferone in the elicited tissues than in the control ones. Using GC-MS, two compounds not earlier found in A. majus tissues were identified in callus cultures: scopoletin (7-hydroxy-6-metoxy-2H-1-benzopyron-2-one) and dehydrogeijerin (7-methoxy-6-(3-methyl-1-oxo-2-butenyl)-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one). (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.