Kunihiko Syōno

Alkaloids of callus tissues and redifferentiated plantlets in the papaveraceae

Abstract The callus tissues from 11 representative species of the Papaveraceae and the redifferentiated plantlets from four species were successfully derived and maintained. The alkaloids in the callus tissues and redifferentiated plantlets were examined in comparison with those of the original plants. All the callus tissues are similar in their alkaloid chemistry and contain benzophenanthridine, protopine and aporphine type alkaloids. By contrast, the plantlets have a more specific alkaloid pattern, being similar in content to the original plants.

Alkaloids from callus tissue of Papaver somniferum

Abstract Norsanguinarine (I), a new alkaloid and 6-acetonyldihydrosanguinarine (II), which appears to be an artefact, have been isolated from callus tissue of opium poppy. Sanguinarine (III), dihydrosanguinarine (IV), oxysanguinarine (V), protopine (VI), cryptopine (VII), magnoflorine (VIII) and choline (IX) have also been detected.

Alkaloids in plants regenerated from Coptis callus cultures

Abstract All the main alkaloids in the rhizome of Coptis japonica were found to be present in callus cultures. Berberine and jatrorrhizine were the main alkaloids in the callus tissue, although the content was much less. The restoration of alkaloid content was observed in the rhizome of plants regenerated from callus cultures. The results indicated that plants regenerated from callus cultures were normal in both morphology and biosynthetic activity.

Isolation of berberine from callus tissue of coptis japonica

Abstract Berberine has been isolated from callus tissue of Coptis japonica var. dissecta .

Abnormal flower formation of tobacco plants regenerated from callus cultures

The plantlets regenerated from tobacco calluses, subcultured for prolonged periods, were weak and generally could not be cultivated into mature flowering specimens. However, some of them flowered and various kinds of abnormal flowers as well as leaves were observed in all the tobacco plants bearing flowers. They were sterile at had abnormal immature pollen grains. Some of them occasionally germinated in the anther. Abnormalities were also found in the nucleus of immmature pollen grains. Such drastic floral abnormalities were not found in tobacco plants derived from seeds and callus cultures subcultured for a relatively short period under the same conditions of cultivation.