Improvement of growth and gymnemic acid production by altering the macro elements concentration and nitrogen source supply in cell suspension cultures of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br

Gymnema sylvestre is an important medicinal plant which bears bioactive compound namely gymnemic acids. The present work deals with optimization of cell suspension culture system of G. sylvestre for the production of biomass and gymnemic acid and we investigated effects of macro elements (NH4NO3, KNO3, CaCl2, MgSO4 and KH2PO4 - 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0× strength) and nitrogen source [NH4+/NO3− ratio of: 0.00/18.80, 7.19/18.80, 14.38/18.80, 21.57/18.80, 28.75/18.80, 14.38/0.00, 14.38/9.40, 14.38/18.80, 14.38/28.20 and 14.38/37.60 (mM)] of Murashige and Skoog medium on accumulation of biomass and gymnemic acid content. The highest accumulation of biomass (165.00 g l−1 FW and 15.42 g l−1 DW) was recorded in the medium with 0.5× concentration of NH4NO3 and the highest production of gymnemic acid content was recorded in the medium with 2.0× KH2PO4 (11.32 mg g−1 DW). The NH4+/NO3− ratio also influenced cell growth and gymnemic acid production; both parameters were greater when the NO3− concentration was higher than that of NH4+. Maximum biomass growth (159.72 g l−1 of FW and 14.95 g l−1 of DW) was achieved at an NH4+/NO3− ratio of 7.19/18.80, and gymnemic acid production was also greatest at the same concentration of NH4+/NO3− ratio (11.35 mg g−1 DW).

Research highlights▶ Production of gymnemic acid through cell suspension culture of Gymnema sylvestre. ▶ The concentration of macro elements influences the production of gymnemic acid. ▶ Alteration in the ammonia: nitrate sources increases the gymnemic acid production.