title: Production of ginkgolides and bilobalide by Ginkgo biloba plants and tissue cultures.
abstract: The accumulation of the terpenes ginkgolides and bilobalide in Ginkgo biloba was reported in plants as well as in plant cell cultures. Several hundred plants cultivated under controlled conditions in the field have been analyzed for their terpene production over many years. Cross-pollination experiments were performed with mature trees and the terpene content of the progeny was analyzed. The age of the tree is the main factor influencing the terpene content of the leaves as the level always decreases dramatically between young and old trees. 80 cell culture strains have been established and ginkgolides analyzed by GC/MS. These cell cultures reveal very low amounts of terpenes (1 microgram g-1 D.W. or less). On the contrary, isolated in vitro root cultures accumulate terpenes at the same concentration as the young plant leaves (4 mg g-1 D.W.). Attempts to obtain rapid growing roots or even hairy-roots did not succeed but the possibility to transform Ginkgo cell strains has been demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche Nestlé Tours, France.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Balz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Courtois
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drieu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Drieu
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Reynoird
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sohier
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Touché
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pétiard
mesh_terms: D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012231:Rhizobium / Q000235:genetics; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes