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There is a need to enhance the production of bioactive secondary metabolites and to establish new production systems, e.g., for liver-protective compounds of Silybum marianum seeds. Quantifying and identifying the produced phytochemicals, and examining their protective effects against genotoxic agents, is of great interest. This study established a protocol for the qualitative and quantitative production of hepatoprotective compounds in cotyledon-derived Silybum marianum callus through optimized supplementation of the MS medium with the growth regulators 2,4-D, benzylaminopurine, myoinositol, and asparagine. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) allowed for identification and quantification of the produced compounds. None of the growth medium combinations supported a detectable production of silymarin. Instead, the generated calli accumulated phenolic acids, in particular chlorogenic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acid, as revealed by HPLC and mass spectrometric analysis. 4-Nitro-o-phenylenediamine (NPD) was employed in the AMES-test with Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98 because it is a potent mutagen for this strain. Results revealed that callus extract had a high anti-genotoxic activity with respect to standard silymarin but more evident with respect seed extract. The callus produced chlorogenic acid and dicaffeoylquinic acid, which revealed higher bioactivity than silymarin. Both compounds were not formed or could not be detected in the seeds of Silybum marianum Egyptian ecotype.

Flax plants were studied at two old sites (Kafer El‐Sheikh and El‐Fayoum) and a new site (El‐Salhia). At the harvesting stage soil samples were collected and subjected to mechanical, physical and chemical analysis. The fibre yield, physical and chemical characteristics were studied and correlated with the major edaphic conditions of the old and new sites. The results indicate that the fibre yield and quality were quite high in the flax from the Kafer El‐Sheikh site because of suitable climatic conditions and high fertility of the soil. Soil build up of the old site at El‐Fayoum enhanced slightly high fibre strength and fineness, in spite of less fevourable climatic conditions compared to the El‐Salhia site. Low organic matter and availability of nutrients in addition to high calcium content were the main factors affecting the quantity and quality of the flax fibre in the new cultivated area at El‐Salhia.

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