Abstract
The medicinal herb Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Solanaceae) was grown in two soilless systems to determine optimal conditions for production of biomass and withaferin A, the major secondary metabolite responsible for its claimed medicinal properties. Withaferin A content was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results show that there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05; t test) in biomass production between the plants grown aeroponically and hydroponically. Aeroponically grown plants produced an average of 49.8 g dried aerial plant material (DW) (SD 20.7) per plant, whereas hydroponically grown plants produced an average of 57.6 g DW (SD 16.0). In contrast, withaferin A content was statistically higher in plants grown hydroponically. These plants contained an average of 7.8 mg·g-1 DW (SD 0.3), whereas the aeroponically grown plants contained an average of 5.9 mg·g-1 DW (SD 0.6). These results demonstrate that hydroponic techniques are optimal in reproducibly and efficiently generating withaferin A. These findings may be of importance to the natural products industry in seeking to maximize production of biologically active compounds from medicinal plants.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1506-1509 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | HortScience |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2014 |
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Keywords
- Natural products
- Optimization of plant secondary metabolites synthesis
- Plant pharmaceuticals
- Soilless plant culture
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Horticulture
Cite this
Biomass production and withaferin a synthesis by Withania somnifera grown in aeroponics and hydroponics. / von Bieberstein, Philipp; Xu, Ya Ming; Gunatilaka, Leslie; Gruener, Raphael.
In: HortScience, Vol. 49, No. 12, 01.12.2014, p. 1506-1509.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Biomass production and withaferin a synthesis by Withania somnifera grown in aeroponics and hydroponics
AU - von Bieberstein, Philipp
AU - Xu, Ya Ming
AU - Gunatilaka, Leslie
AU - Gruener, Raphael
PY - 2014/12/1
Y1 - 2014/12/1
N2 - The medicinal herb Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Solanaceae) was grown in two soilless systems to determine optimal conditions for production of biomass and withaferin A, the major secondary metabolite responsible for its claimed medicinal properties. Withaferin A content was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results show that there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05; t test) in biomass production between the plants grown aeroponically and hydroponically. Aeroponically grown plants produced an average of 49.8 g dried aerial plant material (DW) (SD 20.7) per plant, whereas hydroponically grown plants produced an average of 57.6 g DW (SD 16.0). In contrast, withaferin A content was statistically higher in plants grown hydroponically. These plants contained an average of 7.8 mg·g-1 DW (SD 0.3), whereas the aeroponically grown plants contained an average of 5.9 mg·g-1 DW (SD 0.6). These results demonstrate that hydroponic techniques are optimal in reproducibly and efficiently generating withaferin A. These findings may be of importance to the natural products industry in seeking to maximize production of biologically active compounds from medicinal plants.
AB - The medicinal herb Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Solanaceae) was grown in two soilless systems to determine optimal conditions for production of biomass and withaferin A, the major secondary metabolite responsible for its claimed medicinal properties. Withaferin A content was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results show that there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05; t test) in biomass production between the plants grown aeroponically and hydroponically. Aeroponically grown plants produced an average of 49.8 g dried aerial plant material (DW) (SD 20.7) per plant, whereas hydroponically grown plants produced an average of 57.6 g DW (SD 16.0). In contrast, withaferin A content was statistically higher in plants grown hydroponically. These plants contained an average of 7.8 mg·g-1 DW (SD 0.3), whereas the aeroponically grown plants contained an average of 5.9 mg·g-1 DW (SD 0.6). These results demonstrate that hydroponic techniques are optimal in reproducibly and efficiently generating withaferin A. These findings may be of importance to the natural products industry in seeking to maximize production of biologically active compounds from medicinal plants.
KW - Natural products
KW - Optimization of plant secondary metabolites synthesis
KW - Plant pharmaceuticals
KW - Soilless plant culture
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84920532025&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84920532025&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84920532025
VL - 49
SP - 1506
EP - 1509
JO - Hortscience: A Publication of the American Society for Hortcultural Science
JF - Hortscience: A Publication of the American Society for Hortcultural Science
SN - 0018-5345
IS - 12
ER -