BACKGROUND: Cell suspension cultures were established from the aerial parts of Emex spinosa cultivated on MS medium.
METHODS: The changes in cells weight and phenolics content (anthraquinones and flavonoids) were followed between day zero and 12. The effect of methyl jasmonate on their production was studied.
RESULTS: The linear increase in fresh weights was found to be parallel to both anthraquinones and flavonoids production. Cell suspension cultures treated with 100ml methyl jasmonate showed a significant increase in level of both anthraquinones and flavonoids. The enhancements of phenolics were: 7 fold in chrysophanol, 10 fold in physcion, 15 fold in aloe-emodin, 9 fold in aloe-emodin-8-O-glucoside, 6 fold in emodin-8-O-glucoside, 17 fold in kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and 11 fold in quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin).
CONCLUSION: The present study indicated that the methyl jasmonate affected positively production of phenolic compounds in cell cultures of E. spinosa