CONVERSION OF MENTHYL ACETATE OR NEOMENTHYL ACETATE INTO MENTHOL OR NEOMENTHOL BY CELL-SUSPENSION CULTURES OF MENTHA-CANADENSIS AND MENTHA-PIPERITA

Suspension cultures of Mentha canadensis and Mentha piperita transformed added l-(-)-menthyl acetate and d-(+)-menthyl acetate such as d-(+)-neomenthyl acetate and l-(-)-neomenthyl acetate into their corresponding alcohols. Within 24 h most of the l-(-)-menthol was converted into l-(-)-menthyl glucoside. Small amounts of d-(+)-menthol and d-(+)-neomenthol were also transformed into their glucosides, while l-(-)-neomenthol decreased without glucosylation. In cultured M. canadensis the glucosylation was more enantioselective and stereospecific to 1-menthol than in cultured M. piperita.