Differential induction of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals in agitated micro-shoot cultures of Ajuga integrifolia Buch. Ham. ex D.Don with biotic elicitors

• Published in: AMB Express 2021-10, Vol.11 (1), p.137-13, Article 137
• Main Authors: Ullah, Muhammad Asad, Gul, Faiza Zareen, Khan, Taimoor, Bajwa, Muhammad Naeem, Drouet, Samantha, Tungmunnithum, Duangjai, Giglioli-Guivarc’h, Nathalie, Liu, Chunzhao, Hano, Christophe, Abbasi, Bilal Haider
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; Ajuga; Anti-inflammatory agents; Antioxidants; Biological activities; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Caffeic acid; Chlorogenic acid; High performance liquid chromatography; HPLC; In-vitro shoot culture; Inflammation; Life Sciences; Metabolites; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Original; Original Article; Pectin; Phytochemicals; Phytochemistry; Quercetin; Rosmarinic acid; Secondary metabolites; Yeast; Yeast extract
• ISSN: 2191-0855; 2191-0855
• DOI: 10.1186/s13568-021-01297-3

Ajuga integrifolia Buch. Ham. ex D.Don, a member of Lamiaceae family is pharmaceutically an active perennial herb widely spread in China, Afghanistan and Pakistan Himalayan region. The application of biotic elicitors is a promising approach to cover limitations of in vitro cell technology and challenges faced by pharmaceuticals industry for bulk up production. The current study involved the induction of agitated micro-shoot cultures with the aim to investigate the growth-promoting as well as phytochemicals enhancement role of yeast extract (YE) and pectin (PE). The results showed that both elicitors induced a considerable physiological response. Biomass accumulation was observed maximum (DW: 18.3 g/L) against PE (10 mg/L) compared to YE and control. Eleven secondary phytocompounds were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. PE (50 mg/L) was found to be effective in elicitation of rosmarinic acid (680.20 µg/g), chlorogenic acid (294.12 µg/g), apigenin (579.61 µg/g) and quercetin (596.89 µg/g). However, maximum caffeic acid (359.52 µg/g) and luteolin (546.12 µg/g accumulation was noted in PE (1 mg/L) treatment. Harpagide, aucubin, harpagoside and 8- O -acetyl-harpagoside production was suppressed by both elicitors except for YE (100 mg/L). Catalpol accumulation in micro-shoot cultures was also downregulated except in response to YE (50 and 100 mg/L). Antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory activity remained higher under PE (50 mg/L) and YE (100 mg/L) respectively. Therefore, results suggested that Ajuga integrifolia micro-shoot cultures treated with yeast extract and pectin might be an efficient bio-factory to produce commercially potent specific secondary metabolites.