Biosynthetic activity of Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis in in vitro cultures (review)

Introduction. Gardenia jasminoides Ellis is an evergreen shrub of the Rubiaceae family, naturally growing in China and Japan, and cultivated as an ornamental plant in many regions of the world. This review presents data on the results of studies of the accumulation of biologically active substances in various in vitro cultures, the possibility of inducing their biosynthesis, and the biological activity of substances isolated from Gardenia jasminoides cell cultures.

Text. To date, about 162 compounds have been isolated and identified from G. jasminoides, including flavonoids, iridoid glycosides, gardenia yellow pigment, monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, organic acids and their derivatives. The most important biologically active constituents of G. jasminoides are iridoid glycosides and yellow pigments – crocin derivatives. The use of plant cell cultures is one of the most promising approaches to obtaining biologically active substances of plant origin, since this method is characterized by less dependence on climatic and environmental factors, provides more precise process control and allows for a shorter production cycle, which contributes to the effective scaling of production. A number of researchers have obtained callus and suspension cultures, as well as shoot and modified root cultures of G. jasminoides. In order to increase the production of the main classes of biologically active substances – iridoid glycosides, polyphenolic compounds and carotenoids in callus, suspension and shoot cultures of G. jasminoides, a number of studies were conducted on the introduction of specific additives into nutrient media. It was shown that G. jasminoides cell cultures have high antioxidant activity due to phenolic compounds such as ferulic and chlorogenic acids. Callus culture extracts showed significantly greater superoxide dismutase activity than leaf extracts. At the same time, only callus culture extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus.

Conclusion. A review of the literature data allows us to conclude that in vitro G. jasminoides cultures provide stable and enhanced production of valuable secondary metabolites (iridoid glycosides, polyphenols, carotenoids), exceeding the indicators of intact plants, which opens up prospects for the industrial production of biologically active substances and phytopreparations.

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