In vitro cultures of medicinal plants XVII

Milk thistle, Silybum marianum L. Gaertn., is a source of flavonoid taxifolin and flavonolignans - silymarin complex (silybin, silydianin, silycristin and isosilybin). Milk thistle is usually obtained by field cultivation. Alternative way for getting the active components, is the use of in vitro cultures. But the production of secondary metabolites by the in vitro cultures is low in comparison with plant. One of the possibilites how to increase this produciton is the method of elicitation. In this study, ethephon as the elicitor, in the concentrations of 500 µmol/l, 400 µmol/l, 200 µmol/l, 100 µmol/l and 50 µmol/l was used with the aim to increase secondary metabolite production in suspension and callus cultures. The effect of ethephon was compared to its inhibitor (AgNO3, 120 µmol/l). The levels of flavonolignans and taxifolin were measured by the method of HPLC. The samples were taken 24, 48, 72, 96 and 168 hours after the ethephon application and inhibitor treatment. The nutrient medium of suspension culture was also tested for the possibity of secondary metabolites releasing into medium. The highest content of flavonoid taxifolin was found in the suspension culture medium after 48 h treatment with ethephon in conc. of 400 µmol/l. The level of taxifolin was increased by 197-fold to 1,97 mg/100..