Elicitation of Medicinal Plants In Vivo—Is It a Realistic Tool? The Effect of Methyl Jasmonate and Salicylic Acid on Lamiaceae Species

Abstract

Salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJa) are prominent phytohormones that are involved in stress reactions. Both compounds may influence the biosynthesis of secondary compounds; however, scientific experiments in vivo are rare and contradictive. This paper reports on a study on the elicitation of volatiles and total phenolics (TPC) by MeJa and SA. The subjects were four Lamiaceae species studied in open field conditions in Budapest (Hungary). According to the results, both elicitors provoked specific responses in each plant species depending on the dosage applied and the parameter studied; 2 mM of SA stimulated essential oil (EO) accumulation in marjoram and peppermint, while in hyssop 0.1 mM was optimal. MeJa proved to be effective only in marjoram and in basil. In marjoram, cis-sabinene hydrate was decreased and in hyssop, isopinocamphone was increased by both dosages of SA. In peppermint, pulegone content was reduced by 2 mM SA, but no significant change of the major components of basil EO was detected. SA was successful in increasing TPC and antioxidant activity (AC) in three of the experimental species, but not in hyssop. In marjoram, only 0.1 mM induced TPC and eventually AC, while in peppermint and basil both dosages of SA were effective. Optimalisation of the treatments is suggested in further in vivo experiments.

Methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid as powerful elicitors for enhancing the production of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants: an updated review

“…Due to these reasons, it is critical to identify alternate methods for producing SMs to meet the huge market demand. For the enhanced production of therapeutic metabolites, different biotechnological approaches are used, but elicitation is a mechanistic approach and strong arm for increasing biomass and pharmacologically active phytocompounds production during field cultivation (Halder et al 2019 ; Kandoudi et al 2021 ). Elicitation is one of the effective biotechnological approaches for inducing novel SMs biosynthesis, and enhancement of biomass as well as the gathering of SMs in in vitro cultures of plants (Wang and Wu, 2013 ).…”

Role of Essential Oils and Bioactive Components for Manufacturing Cosmetic Items

“…In a similar vein, the citral found in neroli essential oil has the ability to help maintain the skin's natural oil balance without unnecessarily drying out the skin [103]. Essential oils such as rosemary and ylangylang can be used to regulate oily secretions [104,105], but rosemary oil in particular has a high ester content, which makes it highly effective. Other essential oils such as ylang-ylang can also be utilised.…”

Inducing the Production of Secondary Metabolites by Foliar Application of Methyl Jasmonate in Peppermint

“…For instance, a treatment of MeJa (0.1 mM and 1 mM) applied once to Agastache foeniculum showed a significant elevation in the volatile production only with the lower dosage [ 24 ]. On the other hand, EO content was only increased in Origanum majorana L. with 2 mM MeJa, and the dosage of 0.1 mM did not influence the accumulation of volatiles [ 25 ]. Therefore, the current study aimed to shed light on the potential effects of in vivo application of MeJa on peppermint, one of the most widely cultivated medicinal and aromatic plants.…”