title: Rosmarinic acid production in Coleus cell cultures.
abstract: Cell suspension cultures of Coleus blumei Benth. have been found to accumulate 8-11% of their dry weight as rosmarinic acid (α-O-caffeoyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-lactic acid). Actively-growing tissue converts >20% of exogenously supplied phenylalanine and tyrosine to the caffeoyl ester and this high rate of synthesis coincides with an increase in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase specific activity. Administration to the cultures of known phenylpropanoid precursors of rosmarinic acid failed to enhance the latter's production and in some cases inhibited it.
authors.affiliation: Guelph-Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry, University of Guelph, N1G 2W1, Guelph, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Razzaque
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ellis