Factors influencing podophyllotoxin production in adventitious root culture of Podophyllum hexandrum Royle

To determine the possibility of generating the Podophyllotoxin accumulation using Podophyllum hexandrum adventitious roots derived from root segments, several nutrient constituents (carbon sources, media strength, initial medium pH, ammonium and nitrate proportion and phosphate ratio) were evaluated in culture. The maximum biomass accumulation was recorded in 0.50 MS medium containing 3 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid and 2 % sucrose, and the maximum accumulation of Podophyllotoxin was documented in the same strength of MS medium with 6 % of sucrose. When the initial medium pH was on 6 in the optimized MS medium, the biomass and Podophyllotoxin accumulations were highest. The lower concentration of ammonium (10 mM) in combination with a moderate concentration of nitrate (20 mM) was found ideal for maximum accumulations of biomass and Podophyllotoxin. Maximum Podophyllotoxin accumulation (6.4 mg/g dry weight) was recorded at the higher concentration of phosphate (2.25 mM), and lower concentration of phosphate (1.25 mM) showed highest growth accumulation. The outcome of the present work will be helpful for the large-scale cultivation of adventitious root for the production of Podophyllotoxin.