Abstract:
The genus Ajuga (Lamiaceae) is rich in medicinally important species with biological activities ranging from anti-inflammatory, antitumor, neuroprotective, and antidiabetic to antibacterial,
antiviral, cytotoxic, and insecticidal effects. Every species contains a unique and complex mixture
of bioactive metabolites—phytoecdysteroids (PEs), iridoid glycosides, withanolides, neo-clerodane
terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, and other chemicals with high therapeutic potential. Phytoecdysteroids, the main compounds of interest, are natural anabolic and adaptogenic agents that are widely
used as components of dietary supplements. Wild plants remain the main source of Ajuga bioactive
metabolites, particularly PEs, which leads to frequent overexploitation of their natural resources.
Cell culture biotechnologies offer a sustainable approach to the production of vegetative biomass
and individual phytochemicals specific for Ajuga genus. Cell cultures developed from eight Ajuga
taxa were capable of producing PEs, a variety of phenolics and flavonoids, anthocyanins, volatile
compounds, phenyletanoid glycosides, iridoids, and fatty acids, and demonstrated antioxidant,
antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities. The most abundant PEs in the cell cultures was
20-hydroxyecdysone, followed by turkesterone and cyasterone. The PE content in the cell cultures
was comparable or higher than in wild or greenhouse plants, in vitro-grown shoots, and root cultures.
Elicitation with methyl jasmonate (50–125 µM) or mevalonate and induced mutagenesis were the
most effective strategies that stimulated cell culture biosynthetic capacity. This review summarizes
the current progress in cell culture application for the production of pharmacologically important
Ajuga metabolites, discusses various approaches to improve the compound yield, and highlights the
potential directions for future interventions.
