Bioprocess engineering of Echium italicum L.: induction of shikonin and alkannin derivatives by two-liquid-phase suspension cultures

Abstract

An in vitro cell suspension culture of Echium italicum was established and assayed for the production of shikonin and alkannin derivatives. Callus tissues were induced from cotyledon explants of the plant incubated onto the solidified B5 medium. A two-liquid-phase system suspension culture was then established to elicit pigments of shikonin and alkannin derivatives using liquid paraffin. The presence of liquid paraffin efficiently induced production of pigments in cultured cells. The production and/ or accumulation of these compounds in the E. italicum cells was examined using fluorescence microscopy as the naphthoquinone molecules display autofluorescent properties. Phytochemical analysis of the n-hexane extract of the medium was also carried out using preparative HPLC. The chemical structure of shikonin and alkannin derivatives were characterized by UV, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR techniques. Based on our findings, this bioprocess engineering approach resulted in induction of shikonin and alkannin derivatives, whereupon it may be recruited for production of these important secondary metabolites.

Photoautotrophic propagation of Brazilian ginseng [Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen]

“…The development of a system to allow the commercial production of plant secondary metabolites in vitro has been proposed by various authors (Zhao et al 2005;Chen et al 2006;Lee et al 2010;Zare et al 2010;Savio et al 2012).…”

Alkanna orientalis (L.) Boiss. plant isolated cultures and antimicrobial activity of their extracts: phenomenon, dependence on different factors and effects on some membrane-associated properties of bacteria

“…Growing resistance of pathogenic-harmful microorganisms to antimicrobial agents led to screening of medicinal plants to reveal the active compounds which have become very important as potential sources of novel antibiotics nowadays (Gibbons 2008;Zare et al 2010;Abdallah 2011;Calo et al 2015). In our study, A. orientalis intact root and isolated culture (callus tissue) extract antimicrobial activity against the different groups of microorganisms was established; it varied not only by the degree of expressiveness but also by its stability, in favor of isolated cultures.…”

“…In recent years preparations based on biologically active compounds of plant origin possess antimicrobial and antiviral activity, have been widely used for the treatment of various infectious diseases (Schempp et al 1999;Darbinian-Sarkissian et al 2006;Dadi et al 2009;Zare et al 2010;Abdallah 2011). Some biologically active compounds of different plants including Alkanna sp.…”

Shikonin-loaded antibody-armed nanoparticles for targeted therapy of ovarian cancer

“…6-9 SHK-and alkannin-derivatives have previously been produced through bioprocess engineering of Echium italicum L, 10,11 and these compounds showed substantial inhibitory effects in various cancerous cell lines (Barar et al, unpublished data, 2014). Despite having immunomodulatory effects, 9 SHK, as a highly liposoluble naphthoquinone pigment, can inhibit pyruvate kinase M2 activity, 12,13 upregulate p53 activity and downregulate cyclin-dependent protein kinase 4 activity, 14 upregulate BCL2-associated X protein (BAX) and downregulate B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), 6 and inhibit extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and protein kinase B pathways.…”