Micropropagation of Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) and Quantification of Parthenolide Content in Its Micropropagated and Conventionally Grown Plants

Abstract

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a well-known multi-functional plant with anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, antiangiogenic, and anticancer effects. The therapeutic value of this plant is due to its phytochemical constitutes, especially parthenolide. Tissue culture techniques have been applied to improve the bioactive components of many herbal plants. Hence, this study, was carried out to establish a protocol for micropropagation of the feverfew plant and to quantify parthenolide content in its micropropagated and conventionally grown plants. To establish an aseptic culture, different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) were investigated for seed surface sterilization. Besides, the effects of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on the callus induction, shoot organogenesis from callus and in vitro rooting were evaluated. Additionally, the parthenolide yield of the micropropagated and conventionally grown plants was determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that surface sterilization of feverfew seeds with 6% NaOCl for 15 min obtained 65.00 ± 2.69% aseptic seeds. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.4 mg/L thidiazuron (TDZ) and 2 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) resulted in 86.00 ± 1.72% callus induction. The highest number of shoots (5.00 ± 0.15) per explant was obtained in the treatment of MS medium supplemented with 5 mg/L zeatin. MS medium fortified with 3 mg/L indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) produced the maximum number of roots per plantlet (8.90 ± 0.35). A total of 90% of the micropropagated plantlets survived when planted in perlite + peat moss (1:1 v/v); the micropropagated plantlets were successfully established in the ex vitro conditions. According to parthenolide analysis, its level was significantly higher in the micropropagated plants than conventionally grown plants. Among different solvents, ethanolic extraction obtained the highest parthenolide content of the feverfew plant. Hence, it can be concluded that micropropagation of feverfew could be applied to produce disease-free planting materials and to improve the parthenolide content of the feverfew plant.

Effect of explant type (leaf, stem) and 2,4-D concentration on callus induction: influence of elicitor type (biotic, abiotic), elicitor concentration and elicitation time on biomass growth rate and costunolide biosynthesis in gazania (Gazania rigens) cell suspension cultures

“…(Bonnecarrère et al 2009 ). On the contrary, leaves served as better explants than stems for callus induction under the effect of 2,4-D either alone in other plant species including Ocinum tenuiflorum (Sharan et al 2018 ) and safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius ) (Ali and Afrasiab 2014 ) or combined with thidiazuron (TDZ) in feverfew ( Tanacetum parthenium ) (Mahood et al 2022 ). In the studied G. rigens , callus quality (color, texture, growth rate) was superior when calli derived from stem explants (friable, white–yellow, fast-growing).…”

Plants as a Source of Anticancer Agents: From Bench to Bedside

“…Parthenolide (PTL) is a natural product that belongs to the class of germacrane sesquiterpene lactones, and it is the most outstanding representative of its subclass of germacranolides [ 298 ]. The PTL is produced as a secondary metabolite by plants of the Asteraceae/Compositae (daisies) and Magnoliaceae family (magnolias) [ 299 ].…”

“…It is extracted from leaves of the medicinal plant feverfew ( Tanacetum parthenium ) [ 299 , 300 ]. Basically, PTL contains an α-methylene-γ-lactone ring and epoxide group, which contribute to its ability to interact with nucleophilic sites of biological molecules [ 298 , 299 , 300 ]. It displays redox-modulating, epigenetic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial biological activities [ 301 ]; thus, its use in the treatment of migraines and arthritis has been confirmed [ 299 , 302 ].…”

A Study of the Chemical Composition, Acute and Subacute Toxicity of Bulgarian Tanacetum parthenium Essential Oil

“…It has been widely used in folk medicine as a herbal remedy for fever, pain, inflammation, asthma, rheumatism, menstrual disorders, insect bites, infertility, toothache, etc. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. In the southern region of Ecuador, the healers of the Saraguro community have even used the plant to treat supernatural diseases and for psychoactive purposes.…”