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Economic assessment of plant cell culture for the production of ajmalicine
Author(s) -
Drapeau D.,
Blanch H. W.,
Wilke C. R.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.260300805
Subject(s) - biomass (ecology) , catharanthus roseus , chemistry , pulp and paper industry , botany , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , agronomy , biochemistry , engineering
Cost estimates have been prepared for commercial‐scale production of ajmalicine‐rich Catnaranthus roseus biomass using plant cell culture. At the current state of the technology the cost would be approximately $7.30/lb dry biomass ($3215/kg ajmalicine). Naturally‐grown C. roseus roots have a 50% lower ajmalicine concentration but would cost only ca. $0.70/lb ($619/kg ajmalicine). The principal reason for the high cost of the plant cell culture route is not the slow specific growth rate (0.35 day −1 ), but rather the slow specific product accumulation rate (0.26 mg/g day). This rate will have to be increased by a factor of 40 to make the process competitive.