INCREASE OF SCOPOLAMINE PRODUCTION BY HIGH-DENSITY CULTURE OF DUBOISIA MYOPOROIDES ROOTS

A circulation culture system was established for the high density root culture of Duboisia roots. It consists of a vessel for root culture, an aeration tube, a medium reservoir, and a peristaltic pump. Medium saturated with pure oxygen was circulated continuously through the culture vessel acid the medium reservoir, and was pumped back into the aeration tube by the pump. Duboisia roots could be cultured at densities of up to 120 g dry weight (DW) dm(-3) with no decrease in scopolamine content, this density being about 20 times the amount that can be used in ordinary flask culture. The final scopolamine yield at the end of 3 weeks was 1350 mg dm(-3).