Blue Pigment Formation by Clerodendron trichotomum callus

Blue pigment-producing callus was induced from fruit of Clerodendron trichotomum Thunb. on Linsmaier and Skoog (LS) medium with 10 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Callus grew on LS medium with either 2,4-D or 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on subculture. Callus growth and blue pigment formation were much improved by selection on LS gellan gum medium with 2 μM NAA. Kinetin and benzyladenine (1 μM) inhibited blue pigment formation. One of the blue pigments was confirmed to be trichotomine by HPLC, TLC, and NMR spectra; two others were presumed to be trichotomine G₁ and N,N′-di(D-glucopyranosyl)trichotomine on the basis of comparison with the blue pigments from C. trichotomum fruit on HPLC.