Evaluation of the relation between the endogenous scopoletin and scopolin level of some solanaceous and papaver cell suspensions and their ability to bioconvert scopoletin to scopolin

Endogenous scopolin and its aglycon scopoletin were tested in various plant cell suspensions by HPLC; The results indicate that the levels of these compounds varied greatly from one plant cell suspension to another (10(-3)-5 mg/g dry mass), Both scopoletin and scopolin were detected in the Nicotiana tabacum L. cell suspensions while only scopolin was detected in the Duboisia myoporoides R.Br., Solanum aviculare Forst. and Papaver somniferum L. cells. The identity of this scopolin was confirmed by MMR and MS data. Neither of these compounds was accumulated in the Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. cell suspensions. Moreover, all the cell suspensions, except N. tabacum could bioconvert exogenous scopoletin to scopolin. The yield of the bioconversion varied from one cell suspension to another (21-92%). No correlation could be established between the capacity of the cells to bioconvert scopoletin to scopolin and the endogenous scopolin level. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.