In vitro secondary compound production from roots of Stemona curtisii

Stem explants of Stemona curtisii Hook. f. plantlets from in vitro plantlets were cultured on MS agar media supplemented with 11 concentrations of NAA (0–6.0mg/L) and in liquid media supplemented with 6 concentrations of NAA (0–6.0mg/L) for 12 weeks. It was found that the MS agar medium containing 1.0mg/L NAA and the MS liquid medium containing 3.0mg/L NAA induced 100% roots formation with the highest average number of 21.53 and 17.44 roots per explant, respectively. Apical roots were then cultivated in the MS liquid media supplemented with 10 concentrations of NAA (0–3.0mg/L) for 8 weeks. It was found that the MS medium containing 0.3mg/l NAA induced 60% lateral roots with the highest average number of 8 lateral roots per explant. Secondary compounds were extracted with 95% ethanol from S. curtisii roots cultured on the agar and in liquid MS media supplemented with 7 concentrations of NAA (0–1.0mg/L). The crude extracts was then separated by TLC using dichloromethane: methanol: ammonia (95: 5: 1) as the mobile phase. In the initial experiment, stemocurtisine was not found in the tissue cultured roots. However, the unknown nitrogenous secondary compound was detected.

Acknowledgements: We are grateful to the Ministry of National Research and Environment for supporting this project.

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