Camptothecin Production by in Vitro Cultures of Ophiorrhiza liukiuensis and O. kuroiwai

Camptothecin-derived compounds are widely used for clinical treatment of human cancer. They are synthesized from natural camptothecin, which is obtained by extraction from intact plants. For the feasible production of camptothecin, tissue cultures of Ophiorrhiza liukiuensis and O. kuroiwai, an interspecies hybrid of O. liukiuensis and O. pumila, have been investigated. The aseptic plants and hairy roots of O. liukiuensis and O. kuroiwai were established in addition to the previously-established O. pumila. The camptothecin production by O. kuroiwai was better than that by O. liukiuensis. 10-Methoxycamptothecin was accumulated in tissue cultures of O. liukiuensis and O. kuroiwai but not in O. pumila. Methyl jasmonic acid slightly enhanced the production of camptothecin in the O. liukiuensis hairy roots. These results indicate that the tissue cultures of O. liukiuensis and O. kuroiwai would be the feasible ways for production of camptothecin and related alkaloids.