Secoiridoids and xanthones in the shoots and roots of centaurium pulchellum cultured in vitro

摘要

The qualitative and quantitative composition of secondary metabolites was studied in the shoots and roots of Centaurium pulchellum cultured in vitro. Secoiridoids (gentiopicrin, swertiamarin, and sweroside) and xanthones (methylbellidifolin, demethyleustomin, and deccussatin) were isolated. Sweroside was found to be the major secoiridoid compound in the aerial parts of plants growing in nature, while swertiamarin dominated in plants cultured in vitro. In roots of all plants, geniopicrin was the major compound. Xanthone demethyleustomin was the major compound both in the shoots and roots of plants growing in nature and cultured in vitro. Different sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) added in different concentrations in the medium affected the production of secondary compounds.