Production of thymol by shoot culture of Thymus vulgaris

The production of thymol was investigated in a bioreactor culture of plantlets of Thymus vulgaris. The plantlets successfully multiplied in a liquid shake culture, but the thymol content was quite low compared to the static culture. When the plantlets were cultured using a non-mechanical agitated type of bioreactor, the plantlets grew well and the productivity of thymol (mol/dry weight of plantlets) was the almost the same as that of the static culture. Most of thymol (approx. 80%) was contained in the medium. When an ebb and flow type of culture system (EFBR type) was used as the bioreactor, the growth was stimulated and the productivity of thymol was increased whereas the medium contained only a small amount of thymol (7% of the total thymol). The EFBR type is thought to be suitable for the multiplication of plantlets and the production of thymol.