ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the effects of polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000) stress on the accumulation of tanshinones in hairy roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Methods: Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834 was used to induce the hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza. After 20 d suspension culture, the PEG-6000 (1.2%, 2.0%, 5.5%, and 10%, respectively) was added into the suspension cultures and at the same time, the contents of tanshinones (including tanshinone I, cryptotanshinone, dihydrotanshinon I, and tanshinone IIA) were quantified by HPLC on day 7. Results: The growth of the hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza was inhibited by PEG-6000. After PEG-6000 (1.2%, 2.0%, 5.5%, and 10%) treatment, the dry weights of the hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza were reduced to 75.1%, 83.0%, 76.2%, and 76.1% of the control group, respectively. Addition of PEG-6000 at different levels could significantly increase the yields of four tanshinones in the hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza. The yields of tanshinone I, cryptotanshinone, dihydrotanshinon I, and tanshinone IIA were significantly increased by 2.0%-5.5%, 1.2%, 2.0%, and 5.5% PEG-6000, respectively. And the tanshinone IIA increased most. Conclusion: PEG-6000 could stimulate the accumulation of tanshinones in the hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza.