Tissue cultures of Cassia angustifolia Vahl and quantitative analysis of anthraquinones in the cultures and senna pods

Abstract

Cell suspension and tissue cultures were successfully established from young leaf explants of Cassia angustifolia Vahl by manipulation of plant growth regulators in B5 medium. The callus and suspension cultures were maintained in B5 supplemented with 1 mg/l BA and 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D and evaluated for their potential in producing anthraquinones, the constituents in C. angustifolia plant. The anthraquinones found in the suspension cultures were chrysophanol and physcion. Quantitative analysis of anthraquinones was performed by solid-phase extraction and spectrophotometric method which was developed in this study. This method was rapid, accurate and reproducible and could also be used for the quantitative analysis of total pod sennosides in C. angustifolia plant.