Biotransformation of Hyoscyamine by Suspension Cultures ofAnisodus tanguticus

Suspension cultures of Anisodus tanguticus were induced from seedlings. The cell line 8430A which produced no alkaloids in basal medium has been chosen for use in the experiments. The cultures of 8430A, at a feeding concentration of 100 mg·1 -1 of D , L -hyoscyamine, produced 10 mg·1 -1 of 6-hydroxyhyoscyamine within a 4-week incubation period and 4 mg·1 -1 of scopolamine at the end of the fifth week. Both alkaloids were detected in the cells as well as in the medium. The formation of 6-hydroxyhyoscyamine was an intermediate step for the formation of scopolamine. The increasing amount of hyoscyamine gave a further increase in 6-hydroxyhyoscyamine and scopolamine accumulation.