Evaluation of secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity in Dracocephalum polychaetum Bornm. cell suspension culture under magnetite nanoparticles and static magnetic field elicitation

Suspension-cultured Dracocephlum polychaetum Bornm. is a wild medicinal herb native to Iran, treated with a static magnetic field (SMF) and Fe2O3 magnetic nanoparticles (MNP). The effect of SMF (30 mT), Fe2O3 MNP (100 ppm) and the combination of these treatments on phenolic metabolism and the medicinal compounds were examined by high performance liquid chromatography and UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The activity of polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonialyase, as well as the content of total phenolics, flavonoid, anthocyanins, lignin and malondialdehyde in all treated cells, showed a significant difference with control. The intracellular content of rosmarinic acid, naringin, apigenin, thymol, carvacrol, quercetin and rutin, in all treated cells increased considerably. Their quantities also increased significantly in the treated cell culture media. These results suggest this increase is due to the increased production and secretion of the medicinal compounds from cells to the culture media upon application of SMF and Fe2O3 MNP.