Effect of methyl jasmonate, mevalonic acid and potassium nitrate in artemisinin content by suspension cultures of Artemisia annua L

Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide derived from Artemisia annua L. ( Asteraceae), is the most effective antimalarial Drug, It is also effective against a wide variety of cancers. Due to the low content of artemisinin in A. annua leaves and uneconomical chemical synthesis, tissue culture is essential. The purpose of this research is to focus the application of tissue culture technology and the cell suspension culture to increase artemisinin by elicitors. Callus cultures were induced from root explants at different BA and NAA concentrations in MS medium. The best callogenesis was on BA (1.5 mg/l-¹) and NAA (0.5 mg/l-¹). Suspension culture were initiated by transferring friable fraction of root callus into liquid MS medium with BA (1.5 mg/l-¹) and NAA (0.5 mg/l-¹). In an effort to increase the artemisinin production, methyl jasmonate, mevalonic acid lactone and potassium nitrate with different concentrations was tested by treating Suspension culture. A large increase in artemisinin content was found in 5 mg/l-¹ methyl jasmonate, 75 mg/l-¹ mevalonic acid lactone and 750 mg/l-¹ potassium nitrate. It seems suspension cultures of Artemisia annua is Effective in artemisinin Production. Also the addition of elicitors increase artemisinin content.