Phenolic profiles of untransformed and hairy root cultures of Plantago lanceolata

Untransformed root cultures and Agrobacterium rhizogenes induced root cultures (hairy roots) of Plantago lanceolata were investigated for caffeic acid glycoside esters, i.e. verbascoside (V) and plantamoside (P), by HPLC. Levels of V (6–12 mg.g–1 DW) and P (30–80 mg.g–1 DW) from untransformed and hairy root cultures were not modified by 0.1 mM (E)-cinnamic acid addition in Murashige and Skoogʹs culture medium. A part of the cinnamic acid was converted into (E)-p-coumaroyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, a phenolic derivative absent from control cultures without cinnamic acid. Maximum levels of this coumaroyl ester (6–8 mg.g–1 DW) were detected during 10 d and then slightly decreased from both root chemical profiles.