AJMALICINE METABOLISM IN CATHARANTHUS-ROSEUS CELL-CULTURES

Ajmalicine degradation was investigated in a low alkaloid-accumulating Catharanthus roseus cell culture, and compared with the chemical degradation which occurred in medium without cells. Degradation was found to be faster in the presence of cells. By adding [Me-H-2(3)] ajmalicine to the cell culture the production and the degradation rates were estimated. Both were relatively high at the beginning of the growth phase while the degradation rate was also high in the stationary phase.