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Planta Med 2001; 67(2): 146-149
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-11494
Original Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

In Vitro Propagation of Withania somnifera and Isolation of Withanolides with Immunosuppressive Activity

Mirosława Furmanowa1,*, Dorota Gajdzis-Kuls1 , Joanna Ruszkowska2 , Zbigniew Czarnocki2 , Grażyna Obidoska3 , Ałła Sadowska3 , R. Rani4 , Shakti N. Upadhyay4
  • 1 Department of Biology and Pharmaceutical Botany, The Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
  • 2 Laboratory of Natural Products, Faculty of Chemistry, The Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland
  • 3 Department of Plant Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology, Agricultural University, Warsaw, Poland
  • 4 National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Saaf Ali Marg., New Delhi, India
Further Information

Publication History

March 23, 2000

May 1, 2000

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

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Abstract

Withania somnifera plantlets were produced in vitro from the shoot-tip of aseptically germinated seedlings. Culture conditions were optimized using different plant growth regulators which gave rise to 120 shoots from a single bud. The plantlets were then transferred to pots and maintained in greenhouse for 4 months. 90 % of these in vitro propagated plantlets survived and showed normal growth. Leaves from these plants were used for isolation of the withanolides. Methanolic extract of leaves from plantlets growing in tissue culture and those transferred to the greenhouse were evaluated for immunomodulatory activity. While the extract from greenhouse samples showed potent immunosuppressive activity, those from tissue cultures samples did not show any activity. Fractionation and characterization of withanolides, using HPLC, NMR, MS methods revealed the presence of withaferin A in the greenhouse samples. Our results indicate that Withania species may require longer time and better differentiation and also natural environment for the production of withaferin A.

Abbreviations

2,4-D:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

BA:6-Benzyladenine

IBA:Indole-3-butyric acid

IAA:Indole-3-acetic acid

K:Kinetin

AS:Adenine sulfate

Key words

Withania somnifera - Solanaceae - withaferin A - plant tissue culture - immunomodulation activity

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Prof. Dr. Mirosława Furmanowa

Department of Biology and Pharmaceutical Botany

The Medical University of Warsaw

Banacha Str. 1

02-097 Warsaw

Poland

Phone: Tel./Fax 00 48 22 8235984