Korea National Arboretum Announces Successful Proliferation and Extraction of Antioxidant Compounds from Central Asian Plant Ferula tadshikorum

A method has been developed to proliferate and extract antioxidant compounds from Ferula tadshikorum, a useful plant native to Central Asia. Ferula tadshikorum, a member of the Apiaceae family similar to Angelica in Korea, has long been used as a traditional medicinal herb. However, as the plant requires 25 to 30 years to mature and due to indiscriminate harvesting in recent years, its wild population has reportedly declined rapidly.

Ferula tadshikho, a useful plant from Central Asia. Provided by Korea National Arboretum

The Korea National Arboretum announced on July 10 that, through joint research with the Baekdudaegan National Arboretum, the Institute of Botany of the Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, and the Tashkent Botanical Garden, it has succeeded in developing a method to stably proliferate cultures containing antioxidant compounds from Ferula tadshikorum.

The core of the research process involved performing tissue culture using modified embryos obtained from the seeds of the plant, inducing callus (a tumor-like tissue formed by dividing cells around a wound in the plant), and then extracting antioxidant compounds from the plants proliferated using this callus.

Notably, the extracts obtained from the cultured callus showed higher antioxidant activity than vitamin C, which is commonly known as a standard antioxidant. This indicates a strong ability to effectively eliminate reactive oxygen species that damage cells.

The joint research team also identified the combination of plant hormones used in the callus culture process: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and kinetin.

The research results were published in issue 51 of the scientific journal Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (SCIE), drawing attention from the academic community.

Lee Gyumyeong, director of the Baekdudaegan National Arboretum, stated, "The antioxidant extraction method developed through this joint research is expected to be utilized in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, health supplements, and cosmetics. Above all, it is significant that we have established a foundation for mass production of Ferula tadshikorum in the laboratory without the need for direct harvesting from the wild."

Shim Sangtaek, chairman of the Korea National Arboretum, commented, "This research not only contributes to the conservation of forest resources but also demonstrates the industrial potential of useful plants. The Korea National Arboretum will continue to collaborate with international institutions to secure biological sovereignty for each country and contribute to the advancement of the bioindustry."