Alkaloid metabolism in callus and regenerating shoot cultures of a Duboisia hybrid

Abstract

Undifferentiated callus and regenerating shoot callus on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium was unable to metabolize scopolamine to hyoscyamine. Shoots on MS medium supplemented with hyoscyamine on extraction afforded unchanged hyoscyamine (44%). However, 16% was converted to 6-hydroxyhyoscyamine and 12% to scopolamine. Metabolism appeared unaffected by the number of shoots formed. Callus only gave very low yields of these two metabolities. Control callus and shoots on MS medium without alkaloid contained traces of valtropine and/or butropine. However, both callus and shoots on MS medium supplemented with either scopolamine or hyoscyamine showed enhanced levels of these minor alkaloids at times by a factor exceeding 500. © 1992.