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Castanospermine, an HIV inhibitor from tissue cultures of Castanospermum australe
Author(s) -
Roja G.,
Heble M. R.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.2650090719
Subject(s) - castanospermine , callus , biology , tissue culture , botany , in vitro , biochemistry , enzyme
Tree species are important sources of phytotherapeutics. The seeds of the tree Castanospermum australe contain alkaloids effective against HIV. Unorganized callus cultures were established from the leaves of the mature tree on a chemically defined nutrient medium of Murashige and Skoog supplemented with 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and benzyladenine. The alkaloids were separated and identified by gas liquid chromatographic analysis. The cultures synthesized castanospermine (0.004% F.W.) indicating that the biosynthetic ability of the highly differentiated seeds of the tree is expressed in the unorganized cells.