IN VITRO AND BIOTRANSFORMATIONAL STUDIES OF ALOE BARBADENSIS MILL.

Abstract

Tissue culture technology can play an important role in the yield improvement of active ingredients of medicinal plants. In the present study, the potential of regeneration system of Aloe barbadensis along with biotransformational ability was explored. The maximum calli (5.65±1.90; fresh weight) were induced under the dark condition on MS (Murashige & Skoog) medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L of NAA (α-naphthaleneacetic acid), as compared to light. The highest number of shoots (12.725) were proliferated on MS regeneration medium, containing 1.0 mg/L of BAP (6-Benzyl Aminopurine) and 0.1 mg/L of IBA (Indole-3-Butyric Acid) incubated at 22 ± 2ºC and 16/8 hr photoperiod provided by white fluorescent tube lights. These plantlets were then transferred onto root inducing medium and maximum number of roots (8.0 ± 0.70) with longer length (6.38 ± 0.34 cm) acquired at 1.0 mg/L of IBA within 14-20 days. The regenerated plants were shifted to green house for acclimatization. Effect of plant growth regulators and light was also assessed on callus cultures produced from conventionally propagated and in-vitro regenerated A. barbadensis plants. Biotransformation ability of Aloe barbadensis cell suspension culture was studied by incubation with (+)-adrenosterone (1), which afforded three products; Δ1-2- dehydroadrenosterone (2), 5α-androst-1-ene-3, 11, 17-trione (3) and 17β-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3, 11-dione (4). These metabolites were structurally characterized on the basis of spectroscopic techniques.