title: Optimization of podophyllotoxin extraction method from Linum album cell cultures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suspension cultures of Linum album Kotschy ex Boiss. (Linaceae) accumulate podophyllotoxin (an anticancer agent) and could therefore serve as an alternative source of this important aryltetralin lactone lignan.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present work compared four podophyllotoxin extraction methods and optimization of the best one by using single factor experiments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Linum album cell cultures were established from in vitro plantlets and subcultured in MS medium with hormones every 7-8 days. Four podophyllotoxin extraction methods were assayed and the best one was optimized by single factor experiments, studying the effect of methanol concentration, extraction time, and sonication time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cell cultures accumulated enough podophyllotoxin to be analyzed by HPLC. The methanol/dichloromethane and buffer extraction methods were found to be the best. Methanol alone and hot ethanol were not effective for extracting podophyllotoxin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The optimized method based on methanol/dichloromethane extraction combined with HPLC quantification was able to determine small amounts of podophyllotoxin in Linum album cell cultures, showing that this system could constitute a possible alternative source of podophyllotoxin to Podophyllum (Berberidaceae).
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yousefzadi
authors.forename: Mozafar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.forename: Najmeh Ahmadian
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Chashmi
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Behmanesh
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghasempour
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D019597:Flax / Q000737:chemistry*; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008752:Methylene Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D011034:Podophyllotoxin / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; D008752:Methylene Chloride; D011034:Podophyllotoxin; D000432:Methanol