Relationship of berberine-producing capability between Thalictrum plants and their tissue cultures.

Callus cultures of Thalictrum minus showed a wide variation in the berberine content depending upon the maternal plants from which they were derived. However, no significant correlation in the berberine content was found between the maternal plants and the corresponding callus or cell suspension cultures. Thus, relatively stable and high berberine-producing cell lines could be obtained from some of the plants showing low berberine contents. On the other hand, the amount of berberine released into the liquid medium was found to be correlated with the berberine-productivity of the cell line.