Comparative Study on Saikosaponin Contents in Root of Unsexual Propagation and Sexual Reproduction in Bupleurum falcatum Comparative Study on Saikosaponin Contents in Root of Unsexual Propagation and Sexual Reproduction in Bupleurum falcatum

Production of major conctituents in medical plants mainly depensd on their origin; hence it is possible to produce more of such conctituents through selection of potential cultivars. Differences in saikosaponin content and agronomic characteristics between the roots of regenerated plantlets through anther culture and plants cultivated by seed in Bypleurum falcatum were examined. There were significant differences between the means of regenerated plantlet and plant cultivated in fresh weight of aerial part, dry weight of part and dry root length. The saikosaponin contents differed between the different origons. The content of Saikosaponin a in plants with chromosome number 2n=20, originated from Korea, was higher than that of 2n=26, from Japan, in both regenerated plantlets through anther culture and plants culticated by seed propagation. But, total saikjosaponin contents determined by HPLC were similar between the roots of regenerated plants and cultivated plants. Unsexual propagated plants through anther culture have proven to be more homogeneous than those of sexually reproductive plants by seed. To obtain uniform charasteristics in B. falcatum, the unsexual propagation through anther culture is one of the effective for stable and uniform production in B. falcatum.