Callus Induction and Cellular Suspensions from Murtilla (Ugni molinae Turcz.) for trans-resveratrol Production

The present study reports for the first time the quantification of resveratrol and the use of biotechnological techniques applied to stilbene productions in species from genus Ugni and calli production from adult explants (fruits). Resveratrol is synthesized by a series of families of higher plants, which has generated much interest in recent years for its antioxidant, anticancer and antitumor properties, which would allow longevity of cells to be prolonged. In this study, leaves and mature fruits were collected from three sites in Southern Chile and correspond to three ecotypes of the Chilean endemic species Ugni molinae Turz. (murtilla). These were established in vitro to prepare the callus and subsequent development of cellular suspensions for trans-resveratrol production. Our results showed that these stilbenes are present in murtilla and that their concentrations vary between ecotypes and tissues, reaching up to 553.5 µg g^-1 of t-resveratrol produced in ecotype 3 callus. These values are relatively higher than those found in other plant species. Under optimum culture conditions, extraction of resveratrol from Ugni molinae is scalable to industrial levels, which makes it a viable alternative for obtaining stilbenes.