Elicitors enhanced the production of bioactive compounds in shoot cultures of Hypericum amblysepalum

Abstract

In this study, we examined the effects of elicitors MeJA (Methyl jasmonate) and JA (Jasmonic acid) (50, 100, and 200 ?M) on the growth and production of 15 phenolic compounds in shoot cultures of Hypericum amblysepalum using the LC-MS/MS method. The biomass production increased on shoots elicited with 50 ?M JA and MeJA. However, higher concentrations of these elicitors had a negative effect on the growth of the shoot cultures, while simultaneously resulting in an increase in the secondary metabolite content. The elicitor MeJA (especially 200 ?M MeJA) was more effective in terms of increasing the phenolic compound contents. The highest amounts of rutin (2.8 fold), astragalin (2.4 fold), protocatechuic acid (2.4 fold), hesperidin (2 fold), pseudohypericin (1.9 fold), chlorogenic acid (1.4 fold), and hypericin (1.9 fold) were obtained from the shoots elicited with MeJA (200 ?M). In addition, the application of elicitor JA 200 ?M increased the amount of luteolin (2 fold), quercitrin (1.9 fold), apigetrin (4 fold), apigenin (2.9 fold), and hyperoside (1.3 fold). The current study revealed that specific secondary plant metabolites can be regulated by exogenous elicitors in shoot cultures of H. ambysepalum, thus highlighting their promise as a very valuable source of raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry.