A rapid and effective method for obtaining ardicrenin from Ardisia crenata Sims var. bicolor plants

Abstract Ardisia crenata Sims var. bicolor has high ornamental and medical value, especially because it contains the compound ardicrenin, which is a possible alternative drug for Taxol/camptothecin. To protect wild germplasm resources and obtain more ardicrenin, a plant regeneration system was established via calli, and ardicrenin content was quantified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The results showed that a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D, 1.0 mg L− 1) and kinetin (KT, 0.01 mg L− 1) was suitable for callus induction, with an induction rate of 95.31 ± 1.62%; a MS medium with 2,4-D (0.5 mg L− 1) and 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA, 0.2 mg L− 1) was suitable for callus multiplication, with a multiplication coefficient of 359.26; a MS medium with 6-BA (1.0 mg L− 1) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA, 0.5 mg L− 1) was suitable for callus differentiation, with a differentiation rate of 89.36 ± 1.39%; and 1/2 MS with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA, 0.2 mg L− 1) was suitable for rooting, with a rooting rate of 93.74 ± 1.38%. Additionally, garden soil: vermiculite: perlite (v: v: v = 1:1:1) was appropriate for acclimatization and transplanting, with a survival rate of 87.38%. RP-HPLC analysis revealed that the ardicrenin content in one-month-old plantlets was higher than that in one-year-old plants and was nearly the same as the content observed in three-year-old plants and two-month-old transplanted plantlets, especially in the roots (17.69 mg g− 1 DW, 1.77% DW). In summary, a rapid propagation system for A. crenata Sims var. bicolor was successfully established for the first time, and the roots of one-month-old plantlets were used to effectively obtain ardicrenin.