ROLE OF LIGHT AND MEDIUM COMPOSITION ON GROWTH AND VALEPOTRIATE CONTENTS IN VALERIANA GLECHOMIFOLIA WHOLE PLANT LIQUID CULTURES

A system for growing in liquid medium whole plants of Valeriana glechomifolia, endemic to southern Brazil and capable of accumulating bioactive valepotriates, is described. Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Gamborg B5 (B5) media (1.0×, 0.3× and 0.1× strength) without phytohormones were evaluated after four weeks of culture in relation to growth and valepotriate yield. Plants grown in 1.0× MS displayed greatest growth and valepotriate yields and the study of the light condition showed that plants grown under light and dark had similar weight increase and maximum valepotriate yield, 27.2 mg/g DW and 25.0 mg/g DW, respectively. Valtrate was the most abundant valepotriate, followed by acevaltrate and didrovaltrate.