COMPOSITION AND LOCATION OF PHYTOECDYSTEROIDS IN AJUGA-REPTANS INVIVO AND INVITRO CULTURES

The location and concentration of phytoecdysteroids in Ajuga reptans have been studied in different normally grown or in vitro micropropagated plants. Some callus cultures were also studied. The relationship of phytoecdysteroid relative concentration with growing conditions and source of tissue are discussed. The ratio of C28/C29 phytoecdysteroids was established amongst the four major compounds (29-norsengosterone and 29-norcyasterone as C28, and cyasterone and ajugalactone as C29) which between them account, on average, for 92% of the total phytoecdysteroid content. This ratio was found to be less than one in all types of leaves from wild material, slightly higher than one in the roots of wild plants, and in the range from three to five in greenhouse and in vitro plants. Micropropagated plants had an extremely low phytoecdysteroid content in leaves, whereas that in roots was the highest detected in our experiments. Callus cultures obtained from leaves or roots completely lost their capacity to produce ecdysteroids.