Impact of media type on callus morphology and standardization of Withania somnifera cell culture for enhanced secondary metabolite production

Muhammad ADIL; Atif A. K. KHALIL; Zohaib YOUNAS; Khalid M. AL-ROHILY; Abdulmoneem H. AL-KHAMEES; Zia-ur-Rehman MASHWANI

doi:10.15835/nbha53314542

Authors

Muhammad ADIL The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture (Estidamah), Riyadh Technology Valley, Riyadh, 12373 (SA) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7328-1550
Atif A. K. KHALIL Yeungnam University, Department of Biotechnology, Gyeongsan 38541 (KR) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1450-5635
Zohaib YOUNAS Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Department of Botany, Rawalpindi 46300 (PK) https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9162-0807
Khalid M. AL-ROHILY The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture (Estidamah), Riyadh Technology Valley, Riyadh, 12373 (SA) https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8754-7405
Abdulmoneem H. AL-KHAMEES The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture (Estidamah), Riyadh Technology Valley, Riyadh, 12373 (SA) https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2104-0009
Zia-ur-Rehman MASHWANI Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Department of Botany, Rawalpindi 46300 (PK) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4222-7708

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha53314542

Keywords:

biomass, callus, cellular agriculture, elicitors, flavonoids, phenolics, withanolides

Abstract

The medicinal plant, Withania somnifera L. cell culture is sustainable source of important medicinal active ingredients. However successful cell culture amenability relies on media composition, cell growth pattern and elicitation strategies. The Glitz (Gli; modified Litvay media) media promisingly supported friable callus induction and maximum growth (15 g biomass) till 56th day of culture but showed lower polyphenols (6.32 mg g-1 DW) and flavonoids (0.15 mg g-1 DW) contents. Further the friable callus was introduced to the liquid Gli media for cell suspension culture establishment. While for increase secondary metabolites synthesis the established cell culture was treated with elicitors; Methyl Jasmonate (MeJa; 5, 10 and 20 µM) and Salicylic Acdi (SA; 50, 100 and 200 µM). The gallic acid standard based total phenolic acid content met the higher value (35.36 mg per g dry cell weight), 3-fold of the control value (10.73 m g^-1) in MeJa (20 µM) treated cells. While the higher (3.2 mg g^-1 dry cell weight) quercetin standard based flavonoid content in comparison to control (0.92 mg g^-1 DW; 3.5-fold) was observed in SA (100 µM) elicitor treated cell cultures. In parallel DPPH free radical scavenging activity of 60.5% (control: 35.5%) were recorded in elicitors treated cells cultures extracts corroborated to the presence of antioxidant compounds. Based on these findings, it is worth noting that modification in the nutrient media composition significantly improves the W. somnifera cells growth (biomass) and secondary metabolism, and this study concept the cellular agriculture for sustainable future in medicinal plants research.

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