The Stimulatory Effect of Strontium Ions on Phytoestrogens Content in Glycine max (L.) Merr

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2016-01, Vol.21 (1), p.90-90
• Main Authors: Wójciak-Kosior, Magdalena, Sowa, Ireneusz, Blicharski, Tomasz, Strzemski, Maciej, Dresler, Sławomir, Szymczak, Grażyna, Wnorowski, Artur, Kocjan, Ryszard, Świeboda, Ryszard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cations, Divalent; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chromatography; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; coumestrol; Coumestrol - agonists; Coumestrol - biosynthesis; Coumestrol - isolation & purification; Genistein - agonists; Genistein - isolation & purification; Genistein - metabolism; Glycine max; Glycine max - drug effects; Glycine max - growth & development; Glycine max - metabolism; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Hydroponics; isoflavones; Isoflavones - agonists; Isoflavones - biosynthesis; Isoflavones - isolation & purification; Metabolites; Methanol; Osteoporosis; phytoestrogens; Phytoestrogens - agonists; Phytoestrogens - isolation & purification; Phytoestrogens - metabolism; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Roots - drug effects; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - metabolism; Plant Shoots - drug effects; Plant Shoots - growth & development; Plant Shoots - metabolism; Solvents; soy; Soybeans; strontium; Strontium - metabolism; Strontium - pharmacology
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules21010090

The amount of secondary metabolites in plants can be enhanced or reduced by various external factors. In this study, the effect of strontium ions on the production of phytoestrogens in soybeans was investigated. The plants were treated with Hoagland's solution, modified with Sr(2+) with concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 mM, and were grown for 14 days in hydroponic cultivation. After harvest, soybean plants were separated into roots and shoots, dried, and pulverized. The plant material was extracted with methanol and hydrolyzed. Phytoestrogens were quantified by HPLC. The significant increase in the concentration of the compounds of interest was observed for all tested concentrations of strontium ions when compared to control. Sr(2+) at a concentration of 2 mM was the strongest elicitor, and the amount of phytoestrogens in plant increased ca. 2.70, 1.92, 3.77 and 2.88-fold, for daidzein, coumestrol, genistein and formononetin, respectively. Moreover, no cytotoxic effects were observed in HepG2 liver cell models after treatment with extracts from 2 mM Sr(2+)-stressed soybean plants when compared to extracts from non-stressed plants. Our results indicate that the addition of strontium ions to the culture media may be used to functionalize soybean plants with enhanced phytoestrogen content.