1. SUMMARY OF THESIS
The subject of the present is to study the dopamine accumulation during in vitro
culture and morphogenetic differentiation of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.).
Basil is a plant that produces plenty of secondary metabolites. Due to this reason,
basil is quite useful in a wide range of different uses, daily ones and not. It was used
for therapeutic reasons, for example in abdominal spasms and as an expectorant,
but such use is not common any more. Its leafage is used in medicine, cooking and
the food industry, whereas its essential oil is used in the perfume industry, the soap
industry, the drink industry etc.
The purpose of this project is to study the accumulation of dopamine in basil derived
calli. To complete the project, disinfected explants (leaves) were incubated in
suitable nutrient media so that the calli could develop. Afterwards, measurements
and observations were made as far as the calli’s morphological characteristics and
also callus extraction took place with the appropriate extraction method. Thereafter,
measurements were made on the specific extracts to detect dopamine.
The results showed that, due to high concentration of phenolic compounds in basil
derived calli but also in leaves, the detection of dopamine is extremely difficult.
However, it was achieved, under the appropriate conditions, by initially using HPLC
and then by using LCMS chromatography, procedures that should be studied further
in the future.