Recent Advances in Indole Alkaloid Production byCatharanthus roseus(Periwinkle)

Considerable progress has been accomplished in cell culture techniques for production of indole alkaloids fromCatharanthus roseus. This paper reviews the advances made in this area. Key effects of nutrients, environmental effects, stress-inducing compounds and strain selection techniques on the production of alkaloids are summarized. Cultivation methods such as suspension cultures, immobilization, and a novel biofilm configuration are compared. Economic considerations in the large scale production of secondary metabolites are covered. Indole alkaloids, cell culture techniques, Catharanthus roseus.