13C NMR spectra of pentacyclic triterpenoids--a compilation and some salient features

Plant cell culture systems represent a potential renewable source of valuable medici- nal compounds, flavors, fragrances, and colorants, which cannot be produced by microbial cells or chemical synthesis. Biotechnological applications of plant cell cultures presents the most up- dated reviews on current techniques in plant culture in the field. The evolving commercial im- portance of the secondary metabolites has in recent years resulted in a great interest, in secon- dary metabolism, and particularly in the possibility to alter the production of bioactive plant me- tabolites by means of cell culture technology. The principle advantage of this technology is that it may provide continuous, reliable source of plant pharmaceuticals and could be used for the large-scale culture of plant cells from which these metabolites can be extracted. In addition to its importance in the discovery of new medicines, plant cell culture technology plays an even more significant role in solving world hunger by developing agricultural crops that provide both higher yield and more resistance to pathogens and adverse environmental and climatic conditions. This paper describes the callus and suspension culture methods that we have established in our labo- ratory for the production of bioactive secondary metabolites from medicinal plants.

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Plant cell cultures an alternative and efficient source for the production of biologically important secondary metabolites

Sterol glucosides from Prunella vulgaris

Plants are a tremendous source for the discovery of new products of medicinal value for drug development. Today several distinct chemicals derived from plants are important drugs currently used in one or more countries in the world. Many of the drugs sold today are simple synthetic modifications or copies of the naturally obtained substances. The evolving commercial importance of secondary metabolites has in recent years resulted in a great interest in secondary metabolism, particularly in the possibility of altering the production of bioactive plant metabolites by means of tissue culture technology. Plant cell culture technologies were introduced at the end of the 1960's as a possible tool for both studying and producing plant secondary metabolites. Different strategies, using an in vitro system, have been extensively studied to improve the production of plant chemicals. The focus of the present review is the application of tissue culture technology for the production of some important plant pharmaceuticals. Also, we describe the results of in vitro cultures and production of some important secondary metabolites obtained in our laboratory.

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Hisashi Kojima

Papers

Sterol glucosides from Prunella vulgaris

Configurational studies on hydroxy groups at C-2,3 and 23 or 24 of oleanene and ursene-type triterpenes by NMR spectroscopy

Triterpenoids from Prunella vulgaris

Pentacyclic triterpenoids from Prunella vulgaris

Regulation of nicotine biosynthesis by auxins in tobacco callus tissues