Elicitation as a tool to improve the profiles of high-value secondary metabolites and pharmacological properties of Hypericum perforatum

Abstract

Objectives In this review, we aim at updating the available information on the improvement of the Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae) phytochemical profile and pharmacological properties via elicitation. Key findings Hypericum perforatum seedlings, shoots, roots, calli and cell suspension cultures were treated with diverse elicitors to induce the formation of secondary metabolites. The extracts of the elicitor-treated plant material containing naphthodianthrones, phloroglucinols, xanthones, flavonoids and other new compounds were quantitatively analysed and tested for their bioactivities. While hypericins were mainly produced in H. perforatum cultures containing dark nodules, namely shoots and seedlings, other classes of compounds such as xanthones, phloroglucinols and flavonoids were formed in all types of cultures. The extracts obtained from elicitor-treated samples generally possessed better bioactivities compared to the extract of control biomass. Summary Although elicitation is an excellent tool for the production of valuable secondary metabolites in H. perforatum cell and tissue cultures, its exploitation is still in its infancy mainly due to the lack of reproducibility and difficulties in scaling up biomass production.

Modulation of callus growth and secondary metabolites in different Thymus species and Zataria multiflora micropropagated under ZnO nanoparticles stress

“…In this context, Huang and Zhong reported that vanadate, as an elicitor, may induce the ginsenoside biosynthesis by inducing jasmonic acid as a signal molecule. The different effects of elicitation on in vitro production of secondary metabolites are highly complex and may be due to different events such as elicitor type (size, concentration, preparation method) , interaction of physiochemical environment in cell culture of plant species incubation conditions , duration of elicitor treatment , deficiency of a universal model for the elicitation mechanism by different NPs species and genotypes within species differences plant tissue differences…”

Advances in nanomaterials as novel elicitors of pharmacologically active plant specialized metabolites: current status and future outlooks

“…H. perforatum in vitro cultures have attracted an active search, including the evaluation of a large number of different elicitors, in order to enhance their production at acceptable levels for commercial applications. 84,85 Interestingly, in a study was conducted with cell suspension cultures of H. perforatum, aer testing several concentrations, Fe 3 O 4 NPs (100 ppb) showed their ability to specically increase the production of hyperforin as compared to the hypericin. 83 These results suggested, following optimization, the possibility of directing a metabolic pathway toward the synthesis of the desired compound.…”

“…Although a number of reports suggested various signaling pathways to explain the modulation capacity of nanomaterials on the production of plant SMs, to date the precise mechanism still remains elusive. 10,51,84,109 Probably, because elicitation mechanisms are very complex, and could involve thousands of mediators from multiple signaling pathways and their crosstalk. Additionally, all these events uctuate depending on the origin, specicity, exposure type, time and concentration of elicitors along with the plant dependent parameter such as the plant species developmental stage, cellular cycle, type of tissue, nutritional conditions, elicitor uptake by media/soil/aerial, physiochemical environment and so on.…”

Ephedrine production from suspension cultures of Ephedra alata L. callus

“…Abiotic elicitors have nonbiological origin and are grouped into physical, chemical, and hormonal factors. Biotic elicitors have biological origin and are derived from the pathogen or from the plant itself (Shakya et al, 2017). The mechanism of elicitation is complex and depends on various factors, including specificity of elicitor, duration of treatment, cell or tissue growth phase, elicitor concentration, medium composition, light, etc.…”