Influence of Culture Parameters on Phenolics, Flavonoids and Antioxidant Activity in Cell Culture Extracts of Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)

Natural compounds are a major source for pharmaceutical industries. Cell suspension culture provides a reliable method to enhance the productivity of compounds exhibiting antioxidant properties. In the present study, cell cultures of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), a desert fruit species rich in nutrients and medicinal compounds, were grown in different culture parameters to determine the optimum conditions for culture growth and accumulation of active compounds. The tested parameters included MS strength of culture medium, sucrose concentration (1-8%), pH (4-6.5), inoculum density (1-20& x202f;g/l) carbohydrates (3%) and their combinations (sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltose) and different media (MS, B5, N6 and NN). The response to these parameters was assessed in terms of packed cell volume (PCV), total phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant activity. The results showed the MS medium containing 3% sucrose at pH 5.8 enhanced the PCV production. Inoculum density of 5& x202f;g/l induced maximum flavonoid content in cell culture. The highest phenolic accumulation and antioxidant activity were observed in cell cultures grown in double-strength MS medium, 20& x202f;g/l inoculum density and 4% sucrose at pH 6. A positive correlation was detected between phenolic content and antioxidant activity. These findings can facilitate the scale-up production of pharmaceutically important compounds from date palm cell culture.