Callus culture of Echium amoenum Fisch. & Mey. and its major secondary metabolite

Echium amoenum Fisch. & Mey. (Boraginaceae) is a very popular medicinal plant that is used as a tonic, tranquillizer, diaphoretic, and a remedy for cough, sore throat and pneumonia in traditional medicine of Iran. Callus culture of medicinal plants is one of the ways for production of secondary metabolites. In this study, we investigated callus culture of E. amoenum and the major secondary metabolite. The callus culture of E. amoenum was initiated and established from seed in MS media with three different ratio of plant growth regulatories: kinetin, 2, 4-D and NAA. Methanolic extracts of freeze-dried calluses was compared by TLC and HPLC. The major secondary metabolite was separated by preparative HPLC and this pure compound was elucidated by UV, IR, one and two dimensional 1H and 13C NMR and Mass spectroscopy. Rosmarinic acid was identified by various spectroscopic methods from callus culture of E. amoenum. Rosmarinic acid is widespread in the plant cell tissue culture of the Lamiaceae and Boraginaceae families, through insignificant quantities. Rosmarinic acid has an antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory effect, which makes it a valuable product for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.