Flavonolignan Production in Cell Suspension Culture of Silybum marianum

The fruits of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn (Compositae) contain silymarin, an isomeric mixture of flavonolignans (silybin, silychristin, and silydianin). Silymarin acts as a strong anti-hepatotoxic. Silybum marianum cell cultures represent an alternate source of flavonolignans, but the yields of these compounds in such cultures are very low. In this study, in vitro cell culture systems of Silybum marianum were used to monitor the effect of elicitation (picloram, jasmonic acid, and light) on cell growth and production of silymarin. The presence of silymarin was established by high performance liquid chromatography and the greatest growth rates dry weight (32 mg) and silymarin content (0.413 mg g^{? 1} DW) were obtained with 3 mg l^{? 1} picloram and 2 mg l^{? 1} jasmonic acid in darkness after 28 days. The light grown cell suspension cultures showed reduced growth in term of dry weight (24 mg) and silymarin content. The data presented in this study demonstrate that media supplemented with 3 mg l^{? 1} picloram with JA in dark conditions can be useful for production of silymarin and growth in cell suspension cultures of Silybum marianum.