Phenolic constituents in tissue cultures of Phyllanthus niruri

Adventitious root, hairy root, shoot and crown gall cultures of Phyllanthus niruri were established and the production of several phenolic compounds was analysed. From hairy roots cultured in 1/2 Murashige-Skoog liquid medium, six phenolic compounds; gallic acid, (−)-epicatechin, (+)-gallocatechin, (−)-epigallocatechin, (−)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate and (−)-epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate were isolated. The production of these six phenols and the related compound (+)-catechin in tissue cultures were determined by HPLC. Roots of the mother plant cultivated under hydroponic conditions contained almost the same phenolic compounds as those in root cultures. On the other hand, leaves and stems of the cultivated plant contained hydrolysable tannins such as geraniin, corilagin and galloylglucose which were similarly observed in the plant collected in Peru.