Enhancing Bioactives of Phyllanthus amarus by Immobilization method

Phyllanthus amarus plant is used in the traditional system of medicine as a hepatoprotective drug for which the major lignans phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin are responsible. So far, no significant work has been done on the culture of this plant, hence to enhance the content of phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin by immobilization of plant cells. The present investigation was undertaken for large scale commercial production. A cost effective process was developed for enhancing the secondary metabolites phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin utilizing the immobilization technique by modifying the media. HPTLC was used to compare the phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin contents in calcium alginate immobilized cells obtained from fresh grown plants and M.S. medium was supplemented with different abiotic elicitors, under aseptic conditions for treatment with chitosan, copper sulphate, phenylalanine and silver nitrate solution to make the whole process commercially viable. It was revealed that silver nitrate and phenylalanine at low concentration enhances phyllanthin and hypophyllanthin yield as compared to control immobilized cell culture.