Alkaloid production by plant cell suspension cultures of Holarrhena antidysenterica: I. Effect of major nutrients.

The effect of major nutrients on growth and alkaloid production by plant cell culture of Holarrhena antidysenterica was studied with a view to increasing the yield of the alkaloid conessine, a therapeutic drug used for treatment of dysentery and helminthic disorders. The studies resulted in development of a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium that contained 60 mM total nitrogen with a NH(4) (+)-to-NO(3) (-) ratio of 5:1, 0.25 mM phosphate, and 40 g/L sucrose. The growth regulators 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and kinetin (Kn) were also found to affect the synthesis of alkaloid. Using an optimal level of inoculum (3 g/L), the modified medium resulted in alkaloid synthesis of 0.66 g/100 g dry cell weight, which represented a 4.25-fold increase over that obtained in standard MS medium.