Isolation and identification of scopoletin from cell suspension cultures of black zira (Bunium persicum)

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Nowadays plant cell suspension cultures have become an attractive source for secondary metabolites production. The fluorescent compounds are highly valuable in a variety of fields including environmental chemistry and medical and food industries. In this study the cell suspension cultures of black zira, an important medicinal plant in Iran, was established in MS liquid medium supplemented with 2 mg/l NAA and 0.5 mg/l BA. For isolation and identification of fluorescent compound in cell suspension culture samples, 100 gr dried cell with 100 mL dichloromethane was extracted followed by subjecting on a column chromatography and then preparative TLC. The mobile phase was selected as dichloromethane-methanol; 9:1. The TLC comparison of extracts from different parts of the plant (seed, stem, leaf and root) as well as cell suspension culture samples showed that under UV light 365, a blue fluorescent component is present in cell samples whereas nothing was found in the extracts of arial parts of the plant. It is also found that a little fluorescent component has been released into the medium. Results of this study demonstrated the fluorescent component content in callus is less than cell samples under the same conditions. This compound was identified by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance analysis as one of the coumarin derivatives (6-methoxy 7-hydroxy coumarin). Substitutions a methyl group or hydroxyl on the coumarin structure shifted the fluorescent band.

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