Production of triterpenoids in liquid-cultivated hairy roots of Galphimia glauca.

The production of three triterpenoids from Galphimia glauca hairy root cultures, the sedative principle galphimine E (2), the recently described glaucacetalin A (3), and maslinic acid (6), was quantified by HPLC in the biomass and the culture medium. Batch cultures of the hairy root line VYT, obtained through infecting cotyledons with Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC 15 834, were grown for 41 days in shake flasks containing B5 medium without phytohormones. A maximum biomass of 11 g/L DW was obtained on day 33, while the doubling time was 6 days. Throughout the growth cycle fresh and dry weights as well as triterpene production were registered. Glaucacetalin A (3), excreted into the culture media, reached a maximum amount of 2.14 mg/L after 21 days while galphimine E (2) and maslinic acid (6) were recovered from the root biomasses reaching maximum concentrations of 0.11 and 0.43 mg/g, respectively, on day 39.