Enhanced production of diosgenin through elicitation in micro-tubers of Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant et Fernand

Diosgenin, one of the steroidal sapogenin, is a chief bioactive compound, commercially known for its pharmaceutical application to treat sexual dysfunction. The biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites in vitro cultures is usually manipulated by different elicitors that lead to higher production than non-elicited cultures. In the present investigation, in vitro tubers of Chlorophytum borivilianum were produced on semisolid and stationary liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of sucrose. To elicit diosgenin contents, these micro-tubers were exposed in vitro to different concentrations of jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) for 1-month. An optimum number of micro-tuber was obtained on MS semisolid medium containing 60 g/L of sucrose. However, the stationary liquid medium consisting of same sucrose level was found more suitable for increased production of micro-tubers than semisolid medium. Exposure to the lower doses of JA and SA individually induced the improved production of diosgenin in the micro-tubers of C. borivilianum. A 2.1-fold higher production of diosgenin was obtained after the 1-month exposure of micro-tubers to 25 μM of JA; while after the 25 μM of SA elicitation, 1.5-fold higher diosgenin in micro-tubers was obtained in comparison to diosgenin present in tubers of the mother plant. The results suggest that JA and SA have the considerable ability to stimulate the production of valuable diosgenin in the micro-tubers of C. borivilianum.