Elicitation of guggulsterone production in cell cultures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Commiphora wightii</Emphasis> by plant gums

Plant gum as an elicitor for guggulsterone production in cell cultures of Commiphora wightii is reported for the first time. Guggulsterone production increased 2.4 fold in the cell cultures by gum Arabic (100 mg l⁻¹), while mesquite gum elicited 2 fold. The cells treated with gum Arabic at 7th and 9th day accumulated enhanced guggulsterones within 24 h, which increased further up to 48 h and then declined. The cells treated at 9th day accumulated higher amount (218 μg l⁻¹) of guggulsterones after 48 h of elicitation as compared to cells treated at 7th day (164 μg l⁻¹). The optimized elicitation conditions were used in vessels of varying capacity where maximum yield of 285 μg l⁻¹ of guggulsterones was recorded in 3 l shake flasks. These experiments enabled highest guggulsterones yield in a short duration of 11 days in cell cultures of C. wightii.