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Withanolide A production from Withania somnifera hairy root cultures with improved growth by altering the concentrations of macro elements and nitrogen source in the medium

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Abstract

Withania somnifera is an important medicinal plant that contains withanolides as bioactive compounds. We have investigated the effects of macroelements and nitrogen source in hairy roots of W. somnifera with the aim of optimizing the production of biomass and withanolide A content. The effects of the macroelements NH4NO3, KNO3, CaCl2, MgSO4 and KH2PO4 at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0× strengths and of nitrogen source [NH4 +/NO3 − (0.00/18.80, 7.19/18.80, 14.38/18.80, 21.57/18.80, 28.75/18.80, 14.38/0.00, 14.38/9.40, 14.38/18.80, 14.38/28.20 and 14.38/37.60 mM)] in Murashige and Skoog medium were evaluated for biomass and withanolide A production. The highest accumulation of biomass (139.42 g l−1 FW and 13.11 g l−1 DW) was recorded in the medium with 2.0× concentration of KH2PO4, and the highest production of withanolide A was recorded with 2.0× KNO3 (15.27 mg g−1 DW). The NH4 +/NO3 − ratio also influenced root growth and withanolide A production, with both parameters being larger when the NO3 − concentration was higher than that of NH4 +. Maximum biomass growth (148.17 g l−1 FW and 14.79 g l−1 DW) was achieved at NH4 +/NO3 − ratio of 14.38/37.60 mM, while withanolide A production was greatest (14.68 mg g−1 DW) when the NH4 +/NO3 − ratio was 0.00/18.80 mM. The results are useful for the large scale cultivation of Withania hairy root culture for the production of withanolide A.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to Department of Biotechnology (DBT-KUD-IPLS program BT/PR14555/INF/22/126/2010) and University Grants Commission [Project No. F. No. 41-423/2012 (SR)], New Delhi for financial assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, 143-701, Korea

    N. Praveen

  2. Plant Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad, 580 003, India

    H. N. Murthy

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  1. N. Praveen
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  2. H. N. Murthy
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Correspondence to H. N. Murthy.

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Communicated by K.-Y. Paek.

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Praveen, N., Murthy, H.N. Withanolide A production from Withania somnifera hairy root cultures with improved growth by altering the concentrations of macro elements and nitrogen source in the medium. Acta Physiol Plant 35, 811–816 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-012-1125-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-012-1125-5

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