Isolation and production of artemisinin and stigmasterol in hairy root cultures of Artemisia annua

Scaled-up hairy root culture of Artemisia annua L. was established in three -liter Erlenmeyer flask. Both artemisinin and stigmasterol that derive from the common precursors of isopentenyl diphosphate and farnesyl pyrophosphat e were isolated from hairy roots. The production rate of artemisinin isolat ed by column chromatography from hairy root cultures was 0.54% (mg.gDW(-1)) . Stigmasterol was identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic res onance analysis. The production of stigmasterol isolated by column chromato graphy from hairy root cultures was 108.3% (mg.gDW(-1)). In hairy root cult ures, the production rats of stigmasterol was estimated to be 201 times gre ater than that of artemisinin. Our results suggest that investigation of se condary metabolites may provide a new insight to study artemisinin producti on in hairy root cultures.