Tissue-Specific Natural Synthesis of Galanthaminein Zephyranthes Species and Its Accumulation in Different In Vitro-Grown Organs Following Methyl Jasmonate Treatment

Galanthamine is an immensely valuable alkaloid exhibiting anti-cancer and antiviral activity. The cultivation of plant tissues in in vitro conditions is a good source for the synthesis and enrichment of secondary metabolites of commercial interest. In this study, the Amaryllidaceae alkaloid galanthamine was quantified in three species, such as , , and , and the impact of the methyl jasmonate (MJ) signaling molecule on galanthamine accumulation was monitored in in vitro-derived plant tissues. This is the first ever study of the MJ-regulated accumulation of galanthamine in in vitro-grown tissues. Shoot regeneration was obtained in all three species on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 2.0 mgL benzylaminopurine (BAP) + 0.5 mgL naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The regenerated shoots were rooted on a medium containing 2.0 mgL indole butyric acid (IBA). A GC-MS study of extracts revealed the presence of 34 phyto-compounds of varied levels with therapeutic activities against diseases. The galanthamine content was quantified in plant parts of the three species using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC); the maximum was found in bulb (2.41 µg g dry wt.), followed by (2.13 µg g dry wt.), and then (2.02 µg g dry wt.). The galanthamine content showed bulb > leaf > root source order. The in vitro-generated plantlets were treated with different MJ concentrations, and the galanthamine yield was measured in bulb, leaf, and root tissues. The highest galanthamine content was recorded in bulbs of (3.97 µg g dry wt.) treated with 150 µM MJ, showing an increase of 64.73% compared to the control. This accumulation may be attributed to MJ-induced stress, highlighting the potential commercial synthesis of galanthamine in vitro.