E-p-methoxycinnamic acid production in hairy root cultures of Scrophularia buergeriana Miquel

E-p-methoxycinnamic acid (MCA) is one of the main active constituents of Scrophularia buergeriana Miquel and has hepatoprotective, anti-amnestic, and neuroprotective activities. For studying in vitro production of MCA, we established a hairy root culture of S. buergeriana by infecting leaf explants with Agrobacterium rhizogenes R1000, and tested the growth and MCA production of these cultures using different strengths of media and concentrations of auxins. Hairy roots grown in half-strength MS medium showed the highest levels of growth (10.3 g/l) as well as MCA production (0.83 mg/100 g dry weight). Hairy root culture with the treatment of 0.5 mg/l IBA produced the highest amount of dry weight (11.8 g/l) and MCA (1.26 mg/100 g dry weight) production. These results demonstrate that the hairy root culture of S. buergeriana is a valuable alternative approach for the production of MCA.