Exogenous applications of humic acid and salicylic acid differentially affect biomass accumulation and production of rare pharmacologically active withanolides in in vitro cultures of Withania coagulans
3
Issued Date
2025-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
11263504
eISSN
17245575
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105004464047
Journal Title
Plant Biosystems
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Plant Biosystems (2025)
Suggested Citation
Khanum M., Javed M.U., Batool S., Zaman G., Bajwa M.N., Andleeb A., Garros L., Drouet S., Tungmunnithum D., Hano C., Abbasi B.H., Giglioli-Guivarc’h N. Exogenous applications of humic acid and salicylic acid differentially affect biomass accumulation and production of rare pharmacologically active withanolides in in vitro cultures of Withania coagulans. Plant Biosystems (2025). doi:10.1080/11263504.2025.2489989 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/110137
Title
Exogenous applications of humic acid and salicylic acid differentially affect biomass accumulation and production of rare pharmacologically active withanolides in in vitro cultures of Withania coagulans
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Ashwagandha(Withania coagulans) is a medicinal plant valued for its withanolide content, known for anti-cancer, anti-microbial, immunomodulatory, and hepatoprotective properties.However, due to habitat losss and overharvesting, it is now considered endangered. This study aimed to enhance biomass and withanolide production in W. coagulans callus cultures using humic acid (HA) and salicylic acid (SA) as elicitors. HA at 10 µM significantly boosted biomass (fresh weight (FW): 3.6 g/L, dry weight (DW): 267 mg/L), antioxidant enzymatic activity (peroxidase (POD) and superoxidase dismutase (SOD)) and non-enzymatic antioxidant potential, including DPPH (80.2%), ABTS (287.1 µM of Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and FRAP (548.2 µM TEAC). In contrast, SA at 60 µM negatively affected biomass and phytochemical content. HPLC analysis confirmed enhanced accumulation of withanolides and coagulanolide under HA treatment. Overall, low concentrations of HA and SA proved more effective and economically viable than high concentrations, enhancing both growth and secondary metabolite production. These findings support optimized in vitro elicitation strategies for conservation and sustainable use of W. coagulans, offering potential for commerical-scale cultivation and pharmaceutical applications. Future research may focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms behind elicitor responses and scaling up production systems to meet industrial demands.