Enhanced production ofL-DOPA in cell cultures ofMucuna pruriensL. andMucuna pruritaH.

Abstract

A comparative study on the production of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) was carried out in cell cultures of two Mucuna species by elicitor treatment and precursor feeding. The influence of elicitors and the precursor molecule on L-DOPA production, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and tyrosinase activities was also studied. Callus cultures were initiated in Mucuna pruriens L. and Mucuna prurita H. on MS medium supplemented with BAP and IAA at different concentrations. Suspension cultures were established in MS liquid medium supplemented with BAP, IAA, the elicitors methyl jasmonate, chitin and pectin or the precursor L-tyrosine at different concentrations for L-DOPA production. Compared to the controls, several-fold increases in L-DOPA concentration were observed in elicitor-treated and precursor-fed suspension cultures of both plant species. L-DOPA concentrations were comparatively higher in precursor-fed cultures than those receiving elicitor treatments. A parallel increase in tyrosinase and PPO levels was also observed. Loss of cell viability was observed at high concentrations of elicitor-treated cultures, whereas L-tyrosine did not cause any cell death. Compared to elicitor treatments, precursor feeding resulted in higher concentrations of L-DOPA production and tyrosinase activity. The efficacy of L-DOPA production was found to be higher for suspension cultures of M. pruriens compared to M. prurita in all treatments.

Bioactive Components of Magical Velvet Beans

“…l-Dopa in callus exhibits a declining trend in fresh weight with a rise in concentration of l-dopa as shown by Desai et al [52]. The comparative study of production of l-dopa from cell suspension culture and effect of elicitor on two different species like Mucuna pruriens L. and Mucuna prurita H were also done previously [58]. Largescale production of phytochemicals and l-dopa was done from Mucuna pruriens L. Commercial production of the drugs (l-dopa), phenolic flavonoids and antioxidants using cell suspension cultures is in extensive practice nowadays.…”

Mucuna and Parkinson’s Disease: Treatment with Natural Levodopa

“…showed that by adding oregano to seeds germinated in darkness, Mucuna sprouts containing 33% more levodopa have been obtained [4]. Other researchers selected some cells from the ground and then grew them grow in a medium that allows nutrients to be supplied; in this way they have managed successfully to increase the concentration of levodopa [5,6].…”

Establishment of Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. callus and optimization of cell suspension culture for the production of anti-Parkinson’s drug: L-DOPA

“…Hence, many in vitro studies have been reported on plant regeneration and micropropagation [2,[14][15][16][17], somatic embryogenesis [18], callus induction [20,21,30] and in vitro elicitation [19][20][21][22][23][24]. Huizing et al, 1985 reported the accumulation of L-DOPA in cell suspension cultures [24].…”