Biotransformation of thymol, carvacrol, and eugenol by cultured cells of Eucalyptus perriniana

The biotransformations of aroma compounds of spices, such as thymol (1), carvacrol (2), and eugenol (3), were investigated using cultured plant cells of Eucalyptus perriniana. Besides a beta-glucoside product (4, 3%), a biotransformation product, i.e., 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)phenyl 6-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5, beta-gentiobioside, 87%), was isolated from the suspension cells after the five-day incubation of 1. On administration of 2, a beta-glucoside (6, 5%) and a beta-gentiobioside, i.e., 2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)phenyl 6-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7, 56%), were produced. Furthermore, E. perriniana cells also converted 3 into the corresponding beta-glucoside (8, 7%) and beta-gentiobioside (9, 58%). The cultured cells of E. perriniana are able to convert these aroma compounds of spices into glycosides which are accumulated in the cells. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.