Effect of oxygen supply on cell growth and saponin production in bioreactor cultures of Panax ginseng

The effects of oxygen supply within the range 20.8–50% (using pure oxygen and air), on cell cultures of Panax ginseng were investigated in a balloon-type bubble bioreactor (5L capacity, containing 4L Murashige and Skoog medium, supplemented with 7.0mgL−1 indolebutyric acid, 0.5mgL−1 kinetin and 30gL−1 sucrose). A 40% oxygen supply was found to be optimal for the production of both cell mass and saponin yielding values of 12.8g(DW)L−1, 4.5mg(gDW)−1 on day 25, respectively. Low (20.8%, 30%) and high (50%) oxygen concentration supplies were unfavorable to cell growth and saponin accumulation. The results indicate that oxygen supplementation to bioreactor-based ginseng cultures was beneficial for biomass accumulation and saponin production.