Chemical and biological characterization of cinnamic acid derivatives from cell cultures of lavender (Lavandula officinalis) induced by stress and jasmonic acid

Cell cultures of lavender (Lavandula officinalis) were analyzed for the metabolite profile under normal growth conditions and under stress as well as after jasmonic acid treatment. The main compound synthesized was rosmarinic acid, which was also secreted into the culture medium. Different solvent extraction methods at different pH values altered the profile slightly. Anoxic stress induced the synthesis of a cinnamic acid derivative, which was identified as caffeic acid by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Caffeic acid was also induced after treatment of the cell cultures with jasmonic acid. Although the antioxidative activity of both compounds, rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid, was confirmed in an assay using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), it was demonstrated that both substances have a low cytotoxic potential in vitro using acute myeloid leukemia (HL-60) cells. The potential of the system for finding new bioactive compounds is discussed.