Biotechnology Letters 2005-06-01

Biotransformation of alpha-santonin by cell suspension cultures of five plants.

Lin Yang, Jungui Dai, Junichi Sakai, Masayoshi Ando

Index: Biotechnol. Lett. 27(11) , 793-7, (2005)

Full Text: HTML

Abstract

Cell suspension cultures of five plants (Catharanthus roseus, Ginkgo biloba, Platycodon grandiflorum, Taxus cuspidata, Phytolacca asinosa) were employed to bioconvert the eudesmanolide compound, alpha-santonin. Reactions occurring were hydroxylation (C-1, C-11 and C-15), reduction of the double bond [1(2) or 3(4)], rearrangment of the eudesmanolide skeleton to a guaianolide skeleton and lactone-ring hydrolysis. Four new compounds were identified.