Masoumeh Khalili - Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Thahereh Hasanloo - Department of Molecular Physiology, Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran, Karaj, Iran
Yaghoub Safdari - Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Technologies, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

This study was performed to investigate the effect of Ag+ as an elicitor on the activity of antioxidant enzymes, content of H۲O۲, accumulation of total tocopherol and antioxidant activity in hairy root cultures of Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. The hairy roots were treated with ۲ mM Ag+. The treated and non-treated hairy roots were harvested in the same time and data on H۲O۲ content, DPPH, tocopherol content and enzyme activity were measured. Ag+ elicitation resulted in enhanced H۲O۲ content after ۲۴, ۷۲ and ۹۶ h. Peroxidase activity increased ۲۴ h after elicitation, whereas the antioxidant activity decreased upon treatment. The overall trend of IC۵۰ changes was very similar to that of the control treatments. Tocopherol content decreased ۲۴ and ۴۸ h after elicitation. The results demonstrated a possible role of hydrogen peroxide as a secondary messenger for production of silymarin in Ag+ elicited Silybum marianum hairy roots cultures.

Silybum marianum, Ag+, Antioxidant enzymes, DPPH, Tocopherol