Elicitor-mediated enhancement of rosmarinic acid biosynthesis in cell suspension cultures of Lavandula angustifolia and in vitro biological activities of cell extracts.

Summary

Methyl jasmonate elicitation in Lavandula angustifolia cell suspensions boosted rosmarinic acid to 16.4 mg/g DW by upregulating pathway genes, and scale-up to a 1-ton bioreactor yielded extracts with strong antioxidant, antimelanogenic, and procollagen-stimulating activity in vitro. This demonstrates a feasible, industrially relevant pipeline for sustainable cosmetic actives.

Key Findings

• Methyl jasmonate (100 μM, 3 days) increased rosmarinic acid to 16.4 mg/g DW in cell suspensions.
• Elicitation upregulated RA-pathway genes (PAL, C4H, 4CL, TAT, HPPR, AAT1, CYP450).
• 1-ton bioreactor MJ-treated extracts showed high antioxidant activity, inhibited melanin synthesis, and enhanced procollagen synthesis in vitro.
• Demonstrated feasibility of large-scale culture for cosmetic/pharmaceutical applications.

Clinical Implications

While preclinical, RA-enriched L. angustifolia extracts with antimelanogenic and procollagen activity could inform dermatologists’ recommendations and formulators’ sourcing for hyperpigmentation and photoaging products; human safety and efficacy trials are needed.

Limitations

• Preclinical in vitro assays; no human efficacy or safety data.
• Batch-to-batch variability and long-term stability of cell cultures not fully characterized.

Future Directions

Conduct standardized safety and efficacy trials in humans (topical formulations), optimize downstream purification and stability, and compare RA-enriched extracts head-to-head with conventional sources.