The effect of nitrogen and sucrose concentrations on the growth of Eucomis autumnalis (Mill.) Chitt. plantlets in vitro, and on subsequence anti-inflammatory activity in extracts prepared from the plantlets
2001
Taylor, J.L.S. | Van Staden, J.
Large amounts of anti-inflammatory activity are present in extracts prepared from Eucomis plants. Extracts prepared from in vitro plantlets grown on a modified Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1 mg l-1 NAA and 1 mg l-1 BA, were tested in two cyclooxygenase assays (COX-1 and COX-2). Ethanol extracts showed high levels of COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activity, with a COX-2/COX-1 inhibition ratio of 1.1. Further experimental work aimed to determine the factors affecting the accumulation of anti-inflammatory compounds in in vitro plantlets. High concentrations of sucrose (40 g l-1) in the culture medium significantly increased the number of shoots initiated, but had no effect on the subsequent anti-inflammatory activity. Low concentrations of sucrose (10 g l-1) led to a significant decrease in COX-1 inhibition. Changing the amount of nitrogen in the medium (but not the ratio of nitrate to ammonium ions) had no significant effect on the COX-1 inhibitory activity of the extracts.
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