Saponin Production in Submerged Adventitious Root Culture of Panax ginseng as Affected by Culture Conditions and Elicitors

Root growth and saponin production in the root culture of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer were investigated under various pH values, concentrations of sucrose, nitrogen and phosphate and elicitors. The pH of a medium did not have a significant effect on root growth, but apparently affected the saponin content. The maximum saponin content of 0.26 % was obtained at pH 6.0. The optimal concentrations of sucrose, nitrogen and phosphate on root growth and saponin production were 30 g/l, 382.7 mg/l and 40.40 mg/l, respectively. Saponin biosynthesis was stimulated by the addition of panaxatriol saponin (PTS) and total saponin (TS). However, fresh weight in PTS was so low that the theoretical total saponin in TS treatment was higher than that in PTS treatment. Thus, it appears that TS is a better elicitor than PTS in the ginseng root culture. The saponin content in TS treated ginseng root was 0.38 % and approximately 1.5-fold higher than the control. This work will be helpful for efficient large-scale bioprecessing of the ginseng root culture in a bioreactor.