Cellular suspension and production of secondary metabolites in in vitro cultures of Piper sp

Piperaceae is an important family from neotropical American in which many biologically active compounds were identified. A survey of structural diversity and bioactivity reveals that groups of species specialize in the production of amides, phenylpropanoids, lignans and neolignans, benzoic acids and chromenes, alkaloids, polyketides, and a plethora of compounds of mixed biosynthetic origin. With this in mind, several explants obtained from in vitro plantlets were cultured in the presence of different plant growth regulator combinations (IAA, NAA, 2,4-D, DICAMBA, BAP and KIN). The callus induction was depended of Piper species, explant tipe and plant growth regulator combinations. From a callus culture, cell suspensión cultures were established and their growth and metabolite accumulation studied. The achieve results may be useful for further characterization of the activated secondary metabolites pathways in in vitro systems of various Piper species.