Rosavin as a product of glycosylation by Rhodiola rosea (roseroot) cell cultures

The paper discusses glycosylation of trans-cinnamyl alcohol to obtain the biologically active compound rosavin and possibly other cinnamoylglycosides. Cell suspension cultures of Rhodiola rosea were established from callus of leaf origin cultured under light in a modified Murashige and Skoog medium. Under these conditions, no rosavin was formed. However, when trans-cinnamyl alcohol (2.5 mM; in MeOH) was added to the medium, after 72 h incubation cells transformed over 90% of the cinnamyl alcohol into a number of unidentified products. The structure of potential rosavin accumulated in intracellular spaces was elucidated as 3-phenyl-2-propenyl-O-(6'-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl) -β-D-glucopyranoside] by means of chemical and spectral analysis using TLC, HPLC, UV, LSIMS and NMR methods. Rosavin yields of 0.03–1.01% dry weight were obtained. The actual amount depended on the cell strain cultured and the biotransformation period. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.