Influence of sodium pyrophosphate on carvacrol biosynthesis in Satureja khuzistanica Jamzad, and its effects on antioxidant, cytotoxic and antibacterial activity against periodontal bacteria

Satureja khuzistanica contains approximately 3% essential oil, and carvacrol is its major constituent. This research aimed to evaluate effect of Sodium pyrophosphate (NaPP) on secondary metabolites, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxicity properties of S. khuzistanica. In this regard, the microshoots prepared from this plant were cultured in Linsmaier and Skoog supplemented with different concentrations of NaPP (0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mM) and have been incubated for 25 days. Results showed that NaPP not only increased the growth of S. khuzistanica but also enhanced its chlorophyll, carotenoids, phenol, and flavonoid. Furthermore, carvacrol and 1-deoxy-dxylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase in NaPP-treated plantlets, as compared to the controls, were found three- and two-fold increases, respectively; this highlights activity of MEP pathway responsible for biosynthesis of carvacrol. By affecting secondary metabolites, NaPP improved some properties of S. khuzistanica such as antimicrobial (against periodontal bacteria), antioxidant, and cytotoxicity. In general, our results revealed that NaPP, exclusively at 0.2 mM, can accumulate different bioactive compounds in S. khuzistanica resulting in enhancing its pharmacological and medicinal properties. NaPP was able to implement a change in mevalonate pathways, and this improved the production of secondary metabolite and their properties such as antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antibacterial in Satureja khuzistanica.