R.A. Karnachuk, V.Ju. Dorofeyev, Ju.V. Medvedeva, V.B. Dubina, N.I. Suslov, A.A. Churin

An alternative source of unprofitable plant material and valuable secondary metabolites for the medical industry is a higher plants cell culture in vitro. So, Atropa belladonna L., Catharanthus roseus, Datura stramonium (or innoxia), Papaver bracteatum (or somniferum), Symphytum officinale, Aconitum sp.; alkaloids and saponins - Nigella sp.; vitamin E - Carthamus tinctorius L.; essential oils - Lavandula sp. and many other plants have successfully been cultivated as a source of alkaloids. One of the families, which are rich in biologically active metabolites, refers to Ranunculaceae. The plants of Atragene speciosa Weinm. = A. sibirica L. (family Ranunculaceae) are used in folk medicine of the East, as well as in Tibet medicine, for treatment of cardiovascular, gynecological and cancerous diseases. Pharmacological activity of extracts from Atragene speciosa Weinm., revealing the evident nootropic effect which is comparable to piracetam, but having no negative consequencies, has been established (Suslov N.I., Shilova I.V., 2001). Studies have shown the presence of flavonoids, saponins, and phenol derivatives and O - glycosides of organic acids in it. Due to the fact that Atragene speciosa Weinm. is a liana, the introduction of this plant is practically impossible, and as a consequence, it is difficult to obtain the raw material commercially. For the first time we have obtained callus and suspension cultures of Clematis Siberian in vitro and optimized the conditions of growth on a modified MS medium with the addition of 2,4-D, NAA and BAP. It is shown that callus and suspension cultures of Atragene speciosa Weinm. are capable to synthesize triterpenoid glycosides, flavonoides, and phenol spirits at the condition of long cultivation. Stability of Atragene speciosa Weinm. in vitro cells culture to the synthesis of the specified substances has been observed. The content of saponins has ranged depending on a subcultivation and growing method, approaching in separate variants of callus and suspension cultures to the leaves of an intact wild-growing plant according to their level. The level of flavonoides and phenol spirits was more stable in a cell culture. In separate subcultivations their content has reached the level of 70 % related to the leaves of an intact plant. Thus, Atragene speciosa Weinm. cell culture in vitro is a perspective production of physiologically active substances, which are of great interest for pharmacological properties study and further research in order to implement a pilot plant.