Treatment of cell suspension cultures of Linum flavum L. with Na2EDTA reduced the coniferin and enhanced the
6-methoxypodophyllotoxin (6-MPT) production in a concentration-dependent way, in a range of 0.1–5 mM. On day 14
after treatment with Na2EDTA , an inhibition of the coniferin production up to 88% was found. The maximum enhancement
of the 6-MPT production was 400% on day 7 after treatment with 5 mM Na2EDTA . The reduction in coniferin accumulation
in the suspension cultures correlated with and inhibition of coniferyl alcohol glucosyltransferase (CAGT ) activity as
determined in cell homogenates. On day 14 after treatment with 2 and 5 mM Na2EDTA , the CAGT activity was inhibited
up to >89 %. The inhibitory effect of Na2EDTA on CAGT was also shown in a partially purified enzyme preparation.
Several metal ions and the elicitors nigeran and salicylic acid had no significant effect on the production of coniferin
and 6-MPT.