The stem tissue of Styrax officinalis L. distributed in West Anatolia was induced with agents such as boric acid and cocarboxylase (thiamine diphosphate), extensive stimulators of resin channels, in order to increase the amount of benzoin volatile oil. | Turkish Journal of Botany Research Article Turk J Bot (2013) 37: 956-963 © TÜBİTAK doi: Identification of benzoin obtained from calli of Styrax officinalis by HPLC Hatice DEMİRAY*, Aylin EŞİZ DEREBOYLU, Zekiye Işın YAZICI, Fatih KARABEY Section of Biology, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Bornova, İzmir, Turkey Received: Accepted: Published Online: Printed: Abstract: The stem tissue of Styrax officinalis L. distributed in West Anatolia was induced with agents such as boric acid and cocarboxylase (thiamine diphosphate), extensive stimulators of resin channels, in order to increase the amount of benzoin volatile oil. While the benzoin content was 120% in the induction medium to which excess boron and niacin were added, it increased to 231% when cocarboxylase (thiamine diphosphate) was added to the medium. Benzoin content of Styrax from petiole calli was 166%. HPLCDAD results revealed that benzoin resin was present in 90% of the stems of Styrax officinalis distributed in West Anatolia. The major components of excess boron- and niacin-induced stem calli were hexane (), 3-methyl 2-pentene (), and cyclohexane (). Hexane (62%), methyl cyclopentane (), cyclohexane (), 2-hexanone (), ethylbenzene (), and benzene and 1-chloro-2-methylpropyl benzene (propene) were identified by the cocarboxylase application and GC-MS method. With enzyme application, while the percentages of decane and benzyl alcohol decreased, the cyclohexane ratio increased to . Acetone (), ethyl acetate (), and dichloro methane () contents were high as well. Key words: Styrax officinalis, stem calli, benzoin, cocarboxylase, boron 1. Introduction Styrax officinalis L. (Styracaceae) is a small deciduous tree (up to 4 m) only found around the Mediterranean region and in East and South-Eastern Asia (Fritsch, 1999). When
