The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) produces numerous
indole alkaloids, several of which have an important pharmaceutical uses such
as ajmalicine. The relationship between hypoxia and ajmalicine production in a
cell medium culture of C
atharanthus roseus were investigated during the cycle
of cell culture, as well as the growth in fresh and dry matter. The results show
that the lack of oxygenation in C20D cells provokes a very strong inhibition in
accumulation of the alkaloids and of other possible substances. This can be
explained by the absence of some downstream enzymes involved in the
biosynthesis chain of alkaloids or by the blockage of the upstream terpenes to
the production stage. Reoxygenation did not restore hypoxia effect on the
alkaloid accumulation.
Moreover, the present study showed that the addition of the loganin in the
4th day, in the cell culture medium subjected to hypoxia restored the alkaloid
production.
Also, the results show that the BAP increases the ajmalicine production. The
effect of hypoxia was not shown in the presence of cytokinine. The BAP can
without doubt decrease the effects of the hypoxia and increases the ajmalicine
production.
