TROPANE ALKALOIDS FROM CALLUS-CULTURES, DIFFERENTIATED ROOTS AND SHOOTS OF HYOSCYAMUS-MUTICUS L

Alkaloid production has been observed in cotyledonary leaf derived cal lus tissues, and also in in vitro differentiated shoots, and roots of Hyoscyamus muticus. The callus tissue was developed form cotyledonary leaf explants on Murashige and Skoog medium enriched with 2 mg l(-1) 2 , 4-D and 0.5 mg l(-1) BAP. Cotyledonary leaf derived callus was proli ferated In the same medium for 2 passages (1 passage 28-30 days). Gree n and compact callus was used for alkaloid extraction. Shoots and root s formed on MS medium containing 0.05 mg l(-1) NAA and 0.5 mg l(-1) BA P, and also compact, nodular and embryogenic calli from which these sh oots and roots differentiated, were used for alkaloid extraction. Chro matographic studies performed with TLC showed the presence of hyoscyam ine as the major alkaloid present in the callus tissues, differentiate d shoots and roots. However, alkaloid content varied in different tiss ues. Differentiated roots were found to contain maximum amount of hyos cyamine.