Planta Med 2009; 75 - SL56
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1234311

Biotransformation of menthol by sporulated surface cultures of Penicillium sp. and study of the pathways involved

A Esmaeili 1, A Hoseiny Zarea 2, S Safaiyan 1, A Rustaiyan 3
  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O.Box 19585–936, Tehran, Iran
  • 2Department of pharmacutical[0], Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O.Box 19585–936, Tehran, Iran
  • 3Department[0] of Chemistry, Science & Research Campus, Islamic Azad University, P.O.Box 14515–775, Tehran, Iran

A simple and efficient method was developed to carry out biotransformation reactions on terpenoid compounds. For these experiments, sporulated surface culture of Penicillium sp. was inoculated on solid media in conical flasks. After a short incubation period, the spores germinated and a mycelia culture was formed. After 1 week, the cultures had completely sporulated and bioconversion reaction was started. For this purpose, known volume of menthol was added onto the sporulated surface culture. After 7 days, a period during which transformation took place, menthol was extracted with Et2O three times and after evaporation, recognition by GC and GC/MS was followed. The main bioconversion product obtained from menthol by surface Penicillium sp. was α-pinene (18.0%), trans-p-Menthan-1-ol (10.6%), p-Menth-1-ene (5.8%), sabinene (3.9%) 1,8-Cineole (6.4%), and limonene (3.2%) using sporulated surface culture. The pathways involved in the biotransformation of menthol by Penicillium sp. to main products are also discussed.

References: [1] Demyttenaere, J. and De Kimpe, N. (2001)J. Mol. Catal. B Enzym. 11:265–270.