Arbutin production in plant in vitro cultures

Objective Arbutin (hydroquinone β-D-glucoside), a known plant metabolite possessing important therapeutic (urodisinfectant) and cosmetic (skin whitener) values, can be obtained by biotransformation using enzymatic potential of plant cells in in vitro cultures [1–3]. This work consisted in optimization of hydroquinone biotransformation process into arbutin in in vitro cultures of Ruta graveolens L. (garden rue), R. g. ssp. divaricata (Tenore) Gams and Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's wort). The optimization consisted in the administration of different precursor doses (96, 144, 192, 288 and 384mg/l of medium) a…