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In xanthone biosynthesis, 3-hydroxybenzoate:coenzyme A ligase (3HBL) supplies the starter substrate for the formation of an intermediate benzophenone. 3HBL from cell cultures of the medicinal plant Centaurium erythraea was purified to apparent homogeneity using a seven-step-procedure. The enzyme was an AMP-forming CoA ligase with a Km = 14.7 microM for 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 8.5 microM for coenzyme A and 229 microM for ATP. The pH and temperature optima were 7.5 and 35 degrees C, respectively. In SDS-PAGE, two polypeptides of Mr 41,500 and 40,500 were detected. Both proteins were structurally related to each other as shown by tryptic digestion. Their N-termini were blocked. The difference in their apparent molecular masses could not be attributed to glycosylation. 3HBL had a native Mr of approx. 50,000 and is thus active as a monomer.

Geranylhydroquinone 3"-hydroxylase, which is likely to be involved in shikonin and dihydroechinofuran biosynthesis, was identified in cell suspension cultures of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc. (Boraginaceae). The enzyme hydroxylates the isoprenoid side chain of geranylhydroquinone (GHQ), a known precursor of shikonin. Proton/proton correlation spectroscopic and proton/proton long-range correlation spectroscopic studies confirmed that hydroxylation takes place specifically at position 3", i.e. at the methyl group involved in the cyclization reaction. The enzyme is membrane-bound and was found in the microsomal fraction. It requires NADPH and molecular oxygen as cofactors, and is inhibited by cytochrome P-450 inhibitors such as cytochrome c and CO. The inhibitory effect of CO is reversed by illumination. These data suggest that the enzyme is a cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase. The optimum pH of GHQ 3"-hydroxylase is 7.4, and the apparent K(m) value for GHQ is 1.5 microM. The reaction velocity obtained with 3-geranyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid was more than 100 times lower than that obtained with geranylhydroquinone.

This paper deals with the effects of 2,4-D, BA and GA3 on the growth and content of two depsides (rosmarinic acid and lithospermic acid B) in suspension cells of Salvia miltiorrhiza. The results showed cell growth and rosmarinic acid content reached the maximum on the 12th day and lithospermic acid B content on the 16th day after incubating cells in the subculture medium MS + 2, 4-D 1 mg/L + KT 0.1 mg/L. This cell line was a growth-product-associated. With the same concentration (1 mg/L), 2, 4-D stimulated the cell growth but prohibited the formation of lithospermic acid B; GA3 inhabited the cell growth but stimulated the formation of two depsides; The effects of BA is between 2, 4-D and GA3. The concentration optimum of phytohormones tested displayed 3 mg/L for BA and 1 mg/L for GA3. For the optimum time of adding BA and GA3 was in med-term (the 8th day) and early term (at the beginning) of culture period respectively. The synergiatic function of BA and GA3 on the depside formation was also showed that adding GA3 (1 mg/L) was favour for the formation of lithospermic acid B of the suspension cell cultured in the medium containing BA 3 mg/L. The suitable time of adding GA3 was the 6the day after incubating cells in the medium of MS + BA 3 mg/L.

Studies on microcopic structure and TLC in Sarcandra glabra (Tunb.) Nakai are reported. Not only does it counteract weaknesses of former research, but it clarifies some matters well. The method to ideutify accurately this drug is provided.

The Folium Mori and the leaves of its allied species Morus australis Poir., M. mongolica Schneid. from Shandong were identified. The result shows that they are identified easily and accurately according to epidermis, trichomes and blade.

Antimutagenic activity of 20 and 40% ethanol extracts from the biomass of Rhodiola rosea, Polyscias filicifolia, Panax ginseng and Ungernia victoris cultured cells have been studied. DDDTDP, ethidium bromide, benz(a)pyrene, benzidine served as model mutagens for Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 strain (the latter two were tested in presence of metabolic activation system); for S. typhimurium TA 100 strain these were tio-tefa, bichromate potassium and sodium azide and heavy metal compounds (chlorides of manganese, zinc, cadmium, lead acetate) for both strains. Higher capacity of the extracts from the biomass of R. rosea and P. filicifolia to counteract gene mutations induced by various mutagens was demonstrated (ca. 90% inhibition in isolated cases). In the experiment with the metabolic activation most effective proved to be the extracts from the P. ginseng biomass (up to 34% and 47% mutagenicity inhibition).

In this paper, Migancao (Phyllanthus matsumurae Hayata) was identified on the character, microproperties, UV spectra and TLC. It provides scientific basis for its comprehensive development and ultilization.

In this paper, pharmacognostical identification of Hedera nepalensis var. sinensis was studied. The character of medicinal materials, histological and powder characteristics and UV absorption for the stem and leaf of H. nepalensis var. sinensis were mainly reported.

Pharmacognostic identification of Ampelopsis grossedentata was carried out by studying its microscopic characteristics, UV spectra and TLC. The results may provide a scientific basis for the comprehensive development and utilization of the drug.

Twenty-four callus, and eleven cell suspension, cultures were established from Turkish medicinal plants, and crude extracts prepared from them tested against microorganisms to assess their antimicrobial activities in vitro. Of the extracts tested, those belonging to the cell cultures of five of the plant species showed antibacterial activity against mainly three bacteria and a yeast. No activity was observed against herpes simplex viruses, HSV-I and II, but an extract from Hypericum capitatum showed a slight anti-retroviral activity against HIV-I.

This paper reported the identification of Artemisia argyi and A. indica on their macroscopical and microscopical chracteristics, TLC and UV spectra. It provides a basis for their differentication, exploitage and utilization.

Haploid and diploid cell suspensions of Taxus spp. were examined for their adaptive plasticity in response to simulated microgravity, unit gravity, and hypergravity. Cell suspensions produced the taxane, paclitaxel, (TAXOL (R)), which is useful for the treatment of various cancers. Amyloplasts contributed to taxane ring biosynthesis and to drug release at the cell wall. Drug-producing cells reacted as gravisensing osmotic tensiometers. In stressed cells, amyloplasts docked and fused in clusters to sites on the plasmalemma before taxane discharge into the culture medium. In simulated microgravity and compared to all other treatments, taxane production was reduced nearly 100-fold. The percent paclitaxel of total taxanes remained 3-to 6-fold greater, and biomass doubled. When p53-independent programmed cell death was induced, taxanes were released into the culture medium as free molecules (soluble and insoluble) or bound to membranes, nuclear fragments, xylan residues, and other particulate materials. Unit gravity and especially hypergravity promoted xylogenesis and significant drug overproduction. A model relating families of >touch = (TCH), taxane early response (TER), nuclear cycling, and apoptosis-regulating genes to gravisensing, cell wall modifications, and to taxane recovery accounted for most but not all of the observations.

Object: To identify the roots of Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq., and compare the chemical constituents of the root skin and the roots with no skin., Methods: The roots were identified by morphological and microscopic identification and TLC., Results: The characteristics of the secretory canal, ray and starch grain can be used to identify the histology and powder of the roots. The chemical constituents of the root skin and the roots with no skin are similar., Conclusion: The characteristics of the morphology, histology and powder can be used to identify the roots of Glehnia littoralis (Radix Glehniae).

This paper deals with the morphological characters of the plants and drugs, and the histological characters of the stems of Herba Boschniakiae (Boschniakia rossica). This results provide authentic methods for the identification of Herba Boschniakiae.

The histological structures of stem and leaf for Desmodium styracifolium and the power micro-characteristics of its herba were studied. The results could supply basis for the identification of the medicinal materials.

Cell suspension cultures of Taxus canadensis and Taxus cuspidata rapidly produced paclitaxel (Taxol) and other taxoids in response to elicitation with methyl jasmonate. By optimizing the concentration of the elicitor, and the timing of elicitation, we have achieved the most rapid accumulation of paclitaxel in a plant cell culture, yet reported. The greatest accumulation of paclitaxel occurred when methyl jasmonate was added to cultures at a final concentration of 200 microM on day 7 of the culture cycle. The concentration of paclitaxel increased in the extracellular (cell-free) medium to 117 mg/day within 5 days following elicitation, equivalent to a rate of 23.4 mg/L per day. Paclitaxel was only one of many taxoids whose concentrations increased significantly in response to elicitation. Despite the rapid accumulation and high concentration of paclitaxel, its concentration never exceeded 20% of the total taxoids produced in the elicited culture. Two other taxoids, 13-acetyl-9-dihydrobaccatin III and baccatin VI, accounted for 39% to 62% of the total taxoids in elicited cultures. The accumulation of baccatin III did not parallel the pattern of accumulation for paclitaxel. Baccatin III continued to accumulate until the end of the culture cycle, at which point most of the cells in the culture were dead, implying a possible role as a degradation product of taxoid biosynthesis, rather than as a precursor., (Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)

After growing area investigating which covered 10 Provinces (or Cities) of China, we gathered 11 types Zhiqiao and 6 types Zhishi which consistently came from 12 species (or varieties). Histological studies on them have been taken. microscopical characters including transverse section and powder were described. These studies will provide scientific basis for the identification of Zhiqiao and Zhishi.

The structure in cross section of stem and lamina of 9 species and 1 variety from genus Leonurus, whose herb used as Yimu Cao, were reported. Diagnostic characteristics were listed out in a key for identification.

In this article, we have studied the traditional Chinese medicine Tubeimu on the pharmacognosy. This paper reports the thickening condition on the epidermis cell walls of the bulbuls of Tubeimu [Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim) Franquet] for the first time and corrects the wrong record in before literature.

The fruits of ten species plants of Umbelliferae, including the fruits of Peucedanum decursiyum, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Peucedanum terebinthaceun, Anethum graveolens, Cnidium monnieri, Angelica sinensis, Foeniculum vulgate, Angelica polymorpha, Ferula tunnshanica and Cicuta virosa were identified on histology and TLC.

This paper reports the identification of morphological and histological characteristics of Lysimachia christinae. It can supply basis for the identification of the true and false medicinal materials.

In this pper, the crude drugs of Balanophora involucrata and B. harlandii are identified on character, microproperties, UV spectra and TLC. Result of the identification may provide a basis for its diferentication, exploitage and utilization.

In this paper, 2 kinds of Zhizhuliao that original plants are Polygonum suffultum Maxim., P. amplexicaule D. Don. var. sinense Forb. et Hemal. are made an initial study on the characteristics, microscopical and physichemical sides. It provides scientific basis for its comprehensive development and ultilization, and to use in clinical.

Pharmacognostic studies on the shape, microscopic structure and morphology of Fructus Glychrrhizae (Glycyrriza pallidifora)--an adulterant of Fructus Xanthii (Xanthium sibiricum) were carried out and compared with that of Frucus Xanthii to provide a basis for their identification.

Cell suspension cultures of Taxus cuspidata produce taxanes that are released from the outer surface of cells into the culture medium as free and bound alkaloids. Paclitaxel (Taxol (TM)), is an anti-cancer drug in short supply. It has a taxane ring derived from baccatin III and a C-13 phenylisoserine side-chain. This drug is produced over a wide range of gravitational forces. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to paclitaxel, baccatin III, and the C-13 phenylisoserine side chain were combined in multiple-labeling studies to localize taxanes and paclitaxel on cell surfaces or on particles released into the culture medium. Bioreactor vessel design altered the composition of taxanes recovered from cells in simulated microgravity. At 10(-2) and 2x10(-4)g, taxane recovery was reduced but biomass growth and percent paclitaxel was significantly increased. At 1 to 24g, growth was reduced with a significant recovery of total taxanes with low percent paclitaxel. Bound paclitaxel was also localized in endonuclease-rich fragmenting nuclei of individual apoptotic cells. A model is presented comprising TCH (touch) genes encoding enzymes that modify taxane-bearing xylan residues in cell walls, the calcium-sensing of gravitational forces by the cytoplasm, and the predisposition of nuclei to apoptosis. This integrates the adaptive physiological and biochemical responses of drug-producing genomes with gravitational forces.

Accordint to macroscopical characters, histological structurs and analysis of essential oil, the comparison of drug Jiangxian from Hong Kong with Dalbergia sisso and Pterocarpus spp. was studied. The result showed that commercial drug Jiangxiang from Hong Kong is the heartwood of Pterocarpus masupium.

The present paper reports the differences of the root tuber, cylindrical root and stem of Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm. on the external characteristics of crude drug, internal structures and UV-identification.

The traditional Chinese Medicine Cortex Illicii and its adulterants were studied on textual identification, botanical origin, morphological and histological characters. The TLC and UV spertra methods were established to separate and estimate Difengpin, Magnolol and beta-sitosterol in Cortex Illicii and its products.

The biosynthesis of the furanic labdane diterpene marrubiin has been studied in plantlets and shoot cultures of Marrubium vulgare (Lamiaceae). The use of [2-14C]acetate, [2-14C]pyruvate, [2-14C]mevalonic acid and [U-14C]glucose incorporation experiments showed that the labelling of sterols in etiolated shoot cultures of M. vulgare was in accordance with their biosynthesis via the acetate-mevalonate pathway. In contrast, the incorporation rates of these precursors into the diterpene marrubiin could not be explained by biosynthesis of this compound via the acetate-mevalonate pathway. Cultivation of etiolated shoot cultures of M. vulgare on medium containing [1-13C]glucose and subsequent 13C-NMR spectroscopy of marrubiin led to the conclusion that the biosynthesis of marrubiin follows a non-mevalonate pathway. All isoprenic units of 13C-labelled marrubiin were enriched in those carbons that correspond to positions 1 and 5 of a putative precursor isopentenyl diphosphate. This labelling pattern from [1-13C]glucose is consistent with an alternative pathway via trioses, which has already been shown to occur in Eubacteria and Gymnospermae. The labdane skeleton is a precursor of many other skeletal types of diterpenes. Therefore it becomes obvious that in connection with the few known examples of a non-mevalonate pathway to isoprenoids the formation of some isoprenoids in plants via a non-mevalonate pathway might be quite common.

This article has reported the results of the study on the outer properties, inter organization and TLC of Herba Hedyotis Diffuse and its confused material Herba Hedyotis Pinifoliae. The results show the two have obvious distinction and can not be confusediy used.

The present paper provides scientific basis for "Qingyedan" (Harba Swertiae Mileensis) through comparison studies of characteristics, histological morphology, and physico-chemical analysis with its three substitutes which are Swertia punicea Hemsl, S. nervasa Wall, and Halenia elliptica D. Don.

This paper reports the standards for microscopic quantitative analysis of Rhizoma Coptis. By comparing the microscopic quantitative analysis with spectrophotometry, the content of Rhizoma Coptis in Xianglian Pills has been determined and the accuracy of this method confirmed.

Biosynthesis of steroidal plant hormones, brassinosteroids, was studied using the cell culture system of Catharanthus roseus. Feeding labeled compounds of possible intermediates to the cultured cells, followed by analyzing the metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry disclosed the pathways from a plant sterol, campesterol, to brassinolide. There are two pathways, named the early C6-oxidation pathway and late C6-oxidation pathway, both of which would be operating in a wide variety of plants. Recent findings of brassinosteroid-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis and the garden pea by several groups, and the possible blocked steps of the mutants in the biosynthetic pathways are also introduced.

The present paper reports the experimental results on the preparing somatic chromosome of young cotyledon from Sophora flavescens, compared with root tip, the mitotic index of cells in cotyledon is higher, hydrolyze with enzyme and wall degradation are easely made, as the experimental material, the young cotyledon is more comeniently prepared.

About the stem and leaf of Chinese alyxia, pharmacognostical studies on the character, microscopical and physichemical aspects are made, The results are certifed that the methods of determination on the character and microscopical may be adopt for stem and leaf Chinese alyxia. There are a rich amino acids and trace elements. It provide scientific basis for its comprehensive development and utilization.

In this paper, 5 kinds of Quanshen that original plants are Polygonum bistorta L., P. viviparum L., P. paleacum Wall., P. sphaerostachyum Meisn., P. macrophyllum D. Don. are made an initial study on the characteristics, microscopical and physichemistical sides. It provide scientific basis for its comprehensive development and ultilization, and to use in clinical.

In this study the asexual cell line H292 induced and selected from Coptis gulinensis had rapid growth rate and could stably produce alkaloids. By the one-stage method, after the cell suspensions were cultured on the same medium for six weeks, the increased dry and fresh weights of the cells were 20.96 g/L and 174.92 g/L respectively. The content of the total alkaloids in the cells was 14.79 mg/g cell dw. Per litter liquid medium could provide 323 mg alkaloid. In contrast, the cells were cultured by two-stage method. After having been cultured on the medium which contributed to the growth of the cells for three weeks, the cells were transferred to the medium which contributed to the production of the alkaloid and cultured for three weeks. Six weeks later, the dry and fresh weights of the cells were 16.72 g/L and 127.44 g/L, respectively. The biomass was lower than that by one-stage method, but the content of the total alkaloids was as high as 31.76 mg/g cell dw, which was much more than that by one-stage method. In addition, the content of the alkaloid in the medium was 25.31 mg/L. Per litter liquid medium could provide 556 mg alkaloid. The total yield of alkaloid obtained by two-stage method was 1.72 times than that by one-stage method.

This paper deals with the microscopic characteristics of the powder of the roots of 11 species and subspecies of Genus Adenophora. The results show that Sect. Basiphyllae, Sect. Pachydiscus, Sect. Remotiflorae and Sect. Adenophora can be identified based on the amount and thickness of the wall as well as the characteristics of the pit of sclerified cork cells, and 29 species, subspecies and varieties can be identified based on the amount, shape and thickness of the walls of the sclerified cork cells, the diameter and pit of the vessels, the number and shape of the secretion of the laticifers, and the number of inulin crystals.

The cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to taxa-4(5),11(12)-diene represents the first committed, and a slow, step in the complex biosynthetic pathway leading to the anticancer drug Taxol. The cyclization enzyme, taxadiene synthase, has been previously purified from Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) stem and characterized, and the corresponding cDNA has been isolated. To better assess the role of taxadiene synthase in the control of pathway flux in Canadian yew (T. canadensis) cells, a reliable system for production of Taxol in suspension culture, the enzyme from this source was isolated and shown to be chromatographically, electrophoretically, and kinetically identical to that of T. brevifolia stem. Results from the analysis of enzyme activity levels during the time course of Taxol accumulation in developing cell cultures of T. canadensis indicate that rate-limiting transformations lay farther down the pathway than the cyclization step in this system.

This paper deals with the microscopic characteristics of the powder of the roots of Genus Adenophora. Eighteen species and subspecies have been studied. The results show that Sect. Basiphyllae and Sect. Pachydiscus can be identified easily based on the amount of sclerified cork cells, and 18 species, subspecies and varieties can be identified according to the amount, shape and thickness of the walls of the sclerified cork cells, the diameter and pit of the vessels, the number and shape of the secretion of the laticifers, and the number of inulin crystals.

Taxus cell culture may be an alternative source of paclitaxel and related taxane production. Significantly increased amounts of paclitaxel and baccatin III were observed in cultured cells of Taxus species after exposure to methyl jasmonate. Among the three species of Taxus tested, Taxus media showed the highest paclitaxel content while Taxus baccata showed the highest baccatin III content when 100 microM of methyl jasmonate was added to the culture media. Furthermore, the activities of methyl jasmonate and related substances for inducing paclitaxel production were compared in cell suspension cultures of T. media. Methyl jasmonate and its free acid showed the strongest promoting activity. Reduction of the keto group at the C-3 position greatly reduced this activity. cis-Jasmone, which does not have a carboxyl group at the C-1 position, had almost no activity. These results suggest that these two regions of methyl jasmonate are important for promoting the production of paclitaxel and related taxanes in Taxus cell cultures.

Suspension cultures of Taxus cuspidata were challenged with various concentrations and combinations of methyl jasmonate and ethylene. Taxol productivity increased 19-fold when T. cuspidata suspension cultures were exposed to 5 ppm ethylene and 10 microM methyl jasmonate. This increase was 15-fold when either 0 or 10 ppm ethylene was combined with 10 microM methyl jasmonate. The induction of taxol occurred within 51 h after elicitation and would reduce fermentation times and costs. Ethylene concentration at 50 ppm had an inhibitory effect on taxol production but not on phosphate uptake rate, suggesting independent regulation of taxol and physiological functions of the cell. A simple induction model is proposed to explain the action and effects of both ethylene and methyl jasmonate with regard to receptor binding and regulatory systems in plants.

Three caffeoylquinic acids, isolated from the Peruvian plants Tessaria integrifolia and Mikania cordifolia that are used medicinally as anti-inflammatory agents, were tested for their activities on monocyte migration and superoxide anion production. 3,5-Di-O-caffeoylquinic and 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acids exhibited an appreciable anti-inflammatory activity in vitro, while the tricaffeoyl derivative was inactive.

To evaluate the survival of plant tissue in an animal environment, cultured calli from a Mexican medicinal plant (Mimosa tenuiflora Poir.) were transplanted under sterile conditions into the subcutaneous tissue of rats. Microscopic studies of grafted areas were carried out at the 30th, 60th and 120th days after transplantation. Histological evidence of plant graft survival was found in specimens of all groups. during the first month of subcutaneous grafting a moderate inflammatory reaction around the callus was observed characterized by the presence of polymorphonuclear cells and some macrophages and the formation of a fibrous capsule. Nevertheless, the plant grafts remained viable and a decrease of the inflammatory reaction around the callus was observed in the specimens during the following months. In the fourth month specimens the formation of blood vessels inside the grafted plant tissue was observed. Once removed from rats, plant tissues showed high viability according to the fluorescein test. These calli were then transferred to the original in vitro medium showing growth capacity during the following weeks. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that cultivated cells of higher plants survive in an animal environment, suggesting the possibility to utilize pharmacologically active plant transplants in animals, a technique proposed here as inter-regni transplants. Further studies are required to explore this new field of research that opens numerous questions about plant-animal cellular interaction.

From the suspension cultures of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thumb) Mak. protoplasts were isolated and cultured in a different medium with liquid and nurse culture method. Cell division was observed within 4 days and microcalli were formed within 4 weeks. On an MS solid medium with 1 mg/L of KT and 0.5 mg/L of IAA, protoplast-derived calli differentiated into embryos. Stems and leaves were formed on the MS medium with 1 mg/L of 6-BA and 0.5 mg/L of IAA. Finally, complete plantlets were obtained on a hormone-free MS solid medium.

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine:scoulerine-9-O-methyltransferase (SMT) catalyzes the transfer of the S-methyl group of S-adenosyl-L-methionine to the 9-hydroxyl group of scoulerine during the biosynthesis of berberine. We have isolated functionally active cDNA clones (pCJSMTs) from a cDNA library prepared from cultured cells of Coptis japonica. The longest cDNA insert (pCJSMT1) had an open reading frame that encoded 351 amino acids, but the calculated molecular mass (38,364 Da) of the deduced product was slightly lower than the experimentally determined molecular mass of purified SMT. Rapid amplification of the 5' end of the cDNA indicated that the full-length cDNA of SMT consisted of 1,458 nucleotides that encoded 381 amino acids. When the full-length cDNA was expressed in E. coli, the molecular mass of the expressed SMT was greater than that of native SMT in Coptis cells. This result suggests that SMT might be produced in a pre-mature form and processed post-translationally. SMT was also found to exhibit sequence homology to other O-methyltransferases from plants and N-terminal region of the SMT polypeptide appeared to be necessary for enzymatic activity.

Callus growth of Taxus baccata was optimized when Murashige and Skoog or B5 media were used with 2,4-D/kinetin ratios of 1:0.1, 2:0.1, and 5:0.1, when statistically equivalent results were obtained. A cell suspension culture was successfully achieved with a 3-fold increase in fresh weight after 40 days. Histological examination showed that in the leaf explants both the epidermis and mesophyll tissues divided to produce callus. In the stem explants callus formation was due to the cell division of the cortical parenchyma and of the cambium.

The hairy root culture system of the medical plant Artemisia annua L. was established by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes R1601. The transgenic state of transformed roots was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization with TL-DNA of pFw302. The expression of NPTII gene was confirmed by enzymic assay. The important secondary metabolites-artemisinin was obtained in the hairy root culture. The effects of various physical and chemical factors on the growth of the hairy roots and production of artemisinin were studied. Artemisinin could be detected in hairy roots cultures in the light. The optimum pH value of the medium was 5.4. Fast growth of the hairy roots and maximal production of artemisinin was observed in the presence of 3% sucrose. Low concentration of naphthylacetic acid (0.025 mg/L) enhanced the growth of the roots but inhibited the production of artemisinin. The growth and artemisinin production in hairy root cultures were greatly promoted by the addition of gibberellin (GA3) to the medium. Its optimum concentration was 4.8 mg/L.