Biotechnology approaches for production of antiulcerogenic dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B isolated from Artemisia annua L

Methodologies were developed for the establishment and cultivation of Artemisia annua L (CPQBA 2/39 x PL5 hybrid) roots submitted to light conditions and genetic transformation performed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes (15834 and 8196 strains). The transgenic and nontransgenic (normal) roots were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium, kept under different photoperiodic conditions and analyzed for evaluation of the antiulcerogenic dihydroepideoxyarteannuin B (compound A) contents. The Dot Blot technique was used to confi rm the transgenic nature of the roots. The plants′s crude extracts were analyzed by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrum (CG/MS). The chromatograms of the extracts taken from normal roots revealed the presence of dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B and other compound (compound B). Photoperiods during cultivation infl uenced the production of these two compounds: under continuous darkness dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B was intensely produced and the compound B present in small amounts, while on 16 h photoperiod, the inverse occurred. The quantifi cation of dihydro-epideoxyarteannuin B by Gas Chromatography coupled to Flame Detector Ionization (CG/ FID) revealed an approximately fi vefold increase in the production of this compound by normal roots kept under continuous darkness compared to roots kept under 16 h light period. The terpene dihydro-epideoxiarteannuin B was not present in transgenic hairy roots.