Plant Tissue Cult. 3(2) : 67-70, 1993

Effect of Precursors on Capsaicin Synthesis in Suspension Cultures of Capsicum annuum

C. Veeresham, C.K. Kokate, S.S. Apte and V. Venkateshwarlu

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kakatiya University, Warangal-506 009, A.P., India

Key words: Capsicum annuum, Capsaicin, Suspension cultures, Precursors

Abastract

The cell cultures of Capsicum annuum (Solananceae) were established from static cultures on modified MS medium by agitating on a shaker in the dark at 100 rpm for two weeks. The cultures were then transferred into fresh nutrient medium supplemented separately with 50 mg/1 each of L-ascorbic acid and D-limonene and incubated for two weeks. The cell aggregates and media were extracted for capsaicin and analysed by HPLC. The exogenous feeding of ascorbic acid (50 mg/1) enhanced bioproduction of capsaicin from 0.104 to 0.40% mg and the secondary metabolite as accumulated only in the medium. The supplementation of medium with limonene (50 mg/1) also induced approximately three-fold increase in capsaicin production (0.132% mg). The capsaicin was detected only in nutrient medium and not in cells, indicating that capsaicin is stored extracellularly.

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