Determination of steriadonic acid and shikonin content in Echium L. and elevation in in vitro conditions

Plants have been used for different purposes for many years. The genus Echium L. from Boraginaceae family examined in the present study are among the plants that can be used in industry as it containes various secondary metabolites. Different cultures (cotyledone leaves, root suspension and hairy root cultures) for the production and elevation of fatty acids and shikonin with its derivatives have been initiated in E. italicum L.. Moreover, elicitation (+4 °C, MeJA, DMSO, ABA, AgNO3, SC Extract) is also carried out to increase metabolite production in these cultures. The highest amount of shikonin was determined in the hairy root cultures with 10 µM MeJA applied for 24 hours, while the highest concentrations of fatty acids was observed in the control group of cotyledon leaf suspension cultures without any elicitation. However, purified Shikonin Derivative-3 [Isovaleryl/2-Methyl Butyryl Shikonin (derived from elicited hairy root cultures)] was applied on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. Low amounts of shikonin Derivative-3 fraction was examined antiproliferative effect in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. The methods used for the production of metabolites to in vitro culture lines of E. italicum L. have the potential for the mass production of bioactive compounds found in the genus Echium L. as well as other species.