Tropane Alkaloids from Callus Cultures, Differentiated Roots and Shoots of Hyoscyamus muticus L.

Alkaloid production has been observed in cotyledonary leaf derived callus tissues, and also in in vitro differentiated shoots, and roots of Hyoscyamus muticus. The callus tissue was developed form cotyledonary leaf explants on Murashige and Skoog medium enriched with 2 mg I⁻¹ 2, 4-D and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ BAP. Cotyledonary leaf derived callus was proliferated in the same medium for 2 passages (1 passage 28–30 days). Green and compact callus was used for alkaloid extraction. Shoots and roots formed on MS medium containing 0.05 mg I⁻¹ NAA and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ BAP, and also compact, nodular and embryogenic calli from which these shoots and roots differentiated, were used for alkaloid extraction. Chromatographic studies performed with TLC showed the presence of hyoscyamine as the major alkaloid present in the callus tissues, differentiated shoots and roots. However, alkaloid content varied in different tissues. Differentiated roots were found to contain maximum amount of hyoscyamine.