Hairy root culture of Salvia sclarea L. was established following infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA 9402. The culture was grown in growth regulator-free half-strength B5 Gamborg medium with 30 g l )1 sucrose and was investigated with respect to its capability of producing diterpenoids and triterpenoids. Four diterpenoids (ferruginol, salvipisone, aethiopinone and 1-oxoaethiopinone) and two ursenetype triterpenoids (2a,3a-dihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid and 2a,3a,24-trihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid) were isolated from the hairy roots. The presence of three sterols (b-sitosterol, stigmasterol and campesterol), as well as oleanolic and ursolic acids was also shown by GC-MS analysis. The quantitative and qualitative differences in diterpenoid and triterpenoid production patterns between hairy roots grown in the light and in the dark were described.

Two new phenylpropanoid glycosides named cis-martynoside (1) and cis-leucosceptoside A (3) were recognized in cell suspension cultures of Penstemon serrulatus Menz. The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of 1H NMR spectral data.

No abstract

No abstract

Penstemide and serrulatoloside as well as penstemide aglycone and serrulatoloside aglycone were isolated and identified in the calli and suspension cultures of Penstemon serrulatus. The influence of serrulatoloside, penstemide, and its aglycone on the spontaneous proliferation of mouse spleen lymphocytes or hepatoma cells in the Syrian hamster has been estimated in vitro. It has been found that these compounds produce a dose-dependent inhibition of [3H]-thymidine incorporation into the DNA of the examined cells.

Cell suspension cultures from hypocotyl-derived callus of Hyssopus officinalis were found to produce two sterols i. e. β-sitosterol (1) and stigmasterol (2), as well as several known pentacyclic triterpenes with an oleanene and ursene skeleton. The triterpenes were identified as oleanolic acid (3), ursolic acid (4), 2α, 3β-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (5), 2α, 3β- dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (6), 2α, 3β, 24-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (7), and 2α,3β, 24-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (8). Compounds 5-8 were isolated as their acetates (6, 8) or bromolactone acetates(5, 7)

In continuation of our phytochemical investigations of the tissue cultures of Pens femon serrulatus Menz. (Scrophulariaceae) (1, 2) we report now on the isolation and identification of anthocyanins from cell cultures of this plant.

By repeated selection of pigment portions of tissue the red callus induced from root seed­lings of Penstemon serrulatus Menz. was chosen for suspension culture, which was maintained in Schenk and Hildebrandt medium supplemented with naphthaleneacetic acid (0.2 mg/l), 6-benzylaminopurine (2 mg/l) and sucrose (50 g/l). From the cultured cells eight phenolic compounds were isolated. They were identified as cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, delphinidin 3-O-glucoside, luteolin, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, norartocarpetin 7-O-glucoside, verbascoside, martynoside and leucosceptoside A. The kind of cell line, its age and light irradiation were important factors in flavonoid production, but production of phenylpropanoid glycosides was found to be unaffected by these factors. The phenolic composition found in the cell culture was compared with those in the flowers and leaves of original plants of P. serrulatus.