Ginsenosides in hairy roots of a Panax hybrid

Hairy roots of an interspecific hybrid ginseng (Panax ginseng x P. quinquef olium), named Pgq, were established by the infection of Agrobacterium rhizo genes ATCC 15834. Growth and ginsenosides content of hairy roots cultured i n various basal liquid media were measured periodically from 2 to 8 weeks. In Gamborg B5 liquid medium, the hairy roots showed best growth (5.87 g fre sh weight per flask) at week 8. The highest content of ginsenoside was 2.87 % as dry weight at week 8 when cultured in 1/8 Murashige-Skoog liquid mediu m. The ginsenoside content of Pgq hairy roots was comparable to that of Pgq root cultivated in the field. However the highest yield of ginsenosides wa s obtained in B5 liquid medium (3.85 mg per flask at week 8). (C) 1998 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.