Cytokinin Mediated Increased In Vitro Production of Secondary Metabolites with Special Reference to Solasodine in Solanum erianthum

Abstract Steroid alkaloid solasodine is a nitrogen analogue of diosgenin and has great importance in the production of steroidal medicines. Solanum erianthum D. Don (Solanaceae) is a good source of solasodine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different cytokinins on the production of secondary metabolites, especially solasodine in the in vitro culture of S. erianthum. For solasodine estimation, field-grown plant parts and in vitro tissues were extracted thrice and subjected to high-performance liquid Chromatography. Quantitative analysis of different secondary metabolites showed that the amount was higher in the in vitro regenerated plantlets compared to callus and field-grown plants. The present study critically evaluates the effect of the type of cytokinin used in the culture medium on solasodine accumulation in regenerated plants. The highest solasodine content (46.78±3.23 mg g-1) was recorded in leaf extracts of the in vitro grown plantlets in the presence of 6-γ,γ-dimethylallylamino purine in the culture medium and the content was 3.8-fold higher compared to the mother plant.