In vitro Production of Secondary Metabolites Using Elicitor in Catharanthus roseus: A Case Study - Crop Improvement: New Approaches and Modern Techniques - page 398

Chapter 14
Invitro Production of Secondary Metabolites
Using Elicitor in Catharanthusroseus :
A Case Study
Zahid Hameed Siddiqui, Abdul Mujib, Mahmooduzzafar, Junaid Aslam,
Khalid Rehman Hakeem and Talat Parween
Abstract Secondary metabolites are mainly derived from plants and are used by
humans from time immemorial. A plant cell, tissue, and organ culture has an inher-
ent capacity to manufacture valuable chemical compounds as the parent plant does
in nature. In vitro plant materials are one of the good sources for the production
of secondary metabolite and elicitation can be used as one of the important tool
in order to improve the synthesis of these compounds. In a variety of plant cell
cultures, elicitors have increased production of terpenoid indole alkaloids, isoflavo-
noid phytoalexins, serquiterpenoid phytoalexin, coumarins etc. Although elicitation
has been carried out in large number of medicinal plants, we extensively studied it
in Catharanthus roseus , because it is an important source of anticancer compounds
Vinblastine (VLB) and Vincristine (VCR). The use of elicitor is also important in
order to meet the market demands, for reducing production costs and for in-depth
investigation of biochemical and metabolic pathways. This information helps us
in manipulation of biosynthetic pathways which can be used as a powerful tool to
make natural product-like compounds.