In vitro application of Methyl jasmonate to induce phytochemical production and antioxidant activity in Dracocephalum polychaetum Bornm. cells

Dracocephalum polychaetum Bornm. has a narrow expanse of distribution, mostly centered in the mountainous terrain of Kerman, Iran. Due to the value of its phytochemical profile and secondary metabolites, the current research aimed to increase phytochemical compounds by the exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MJ) at several concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 µM) in vitro. After callus induction and cell suspension culture establishment, the cells of D. polychaetum were treated with various MJ concentrations in separate treatment groups. The content of phytochemical compounds was then analyzed using UV–Vis spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The application of MJ imposed oxidative stress and alterations in fresh weight (FW). It also increased the activity of tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), leading to enhanced production of flavonol (TFL), total phenolic compounds (TPC), anthocyanin (Ant), flavonoid (TFD), H₂O₂, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and total antioxidant capacity in all treated cells compared to the control cells. Furthermore, the levels of apigenin, rutin, rosmarinic acid, quercetin, syringic acid, chlorogenic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, p-cumaric acid, and vanillic acid within the all treated cells changed significantly. These findings suggest that MJ, particularly at low concentrations, has the potential to enhance the production of phytochemical compounds in D. polychaetum.