Identification of triterpenoids and flavonoids, step-wise aeration treatment as well as antioxidant capacity of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. cell

Abstract In this study, suspension cells of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. have been successfully established. Liquiritin, licorice glycoside B, licorice saponin J 2 , glycyrrhizic acid and licorice saponin B 2 were identified from G. uralensis cells on the basis of LC–MS n analysis. Step-wise aeration treatment was conducted using a 5 l balloon-type bubble bioreactor (BTBB) to enhance cell density and metabolite production. The results showed that step-wise aeration of 0.6–0.4 vvm was optimal for the accumulation of triterpenoid saponins (2.58 mg l −1 ) and flavonoids (24.33 mg l −1 ) in G. uralensis cells. Growth kinetics was also conducted with cells at aeration volume of 0.6–0.4 vvm. This study also revealed that G. uralensis cells possessed a similar radical scavenging activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test as native licorice had.