Effect of ultrasound on the production of Carvone as a secondary metabolite in callus derived from Bunium persicum Boiss.

Background & Aim: Medicinal plants are most valuable and useful sources as productive factors of drugs. Production and extraction of secondary metabolites have a huge economical importance in recent years. Carvone is a compound in Bunium persicum fruit and shoot and, it is one of the wide range varieties of valuable and useful secondary metabolites. Due to limited crop production, using appropriate stimulating factors, such as ultrasound is an efficient way in the production of secondary metabolites in plant cell culture. Experimental: In this study, callus in suspension environment influenced by treatments once or twice, with  times 0, 5, 20, 35, 50 and 240 seconds by means of ultrasonic bath with a frequency of 38.5 kHz and  constant power examined. After extraction of Carvone, the amount of this secondary metabolite was measured by High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method.  Results & Discussion: Stimulating effect of ultrasound increased the synthesis of Carvone dramatically. According to the observations, combination of hormone with using the bath for 2 times and each time for 35 seconds, created highest rate of Carvone. By contrast, controlling the all cases showed the lowest level of Carvone. Industrial and practical recommendations: Ultrasound irradiation can act as a potent abiotic elicitor to induce the defense responses of plant cells and to stimulate secondary metabolite production in plant cell cultures.