SAPONIN PRODUCTION IN CALLUS AND CELL-SUSPENSION CULTURES OF PANAX-QUINQUEFOLIUM

Callus and cell suspension cultures of American ginseng (Panax quinque folium) were compared for growth and in vitro ginsenoside production o ver a 35-day culture cycle on modified Murashige and Skoog's medium. A time course study at five day intervals revealed that biomass yield i n suspension and callus cultures was maximal on the 25th and 30th day of growth, respectively. Both types of cultures were able to produce g insenosides in amounts and quality comparable to the cultivated plants . TLC-densitometry and HPLC analyses of the crude ginsenosides reveale d that yield and relative distribution of different fractions belongin g to the Rb and Rg groups of ginsenosides were greatly influenced by c ulture age. For the Rb group components, 25-day-old callus or suspensi on cultures were the best source of these compounds, while for the Rg group fractions 30-35-day-oId cell cultures gave the maximum yield. Ap preciable amounts of ginsenosides, particularly Rg1, were found to lea ch out in the culture medium of 30-35-day-old suspension cultures.