Abstract: Through changing the plant growth regulators proportion of medium, the optimal medium for callus proliferation and high content of escin were obtained; the growth of callus and accumulation of secondary metabolites were preliminarily analyzed which can provide theoretical basis for the production of escin in cell culture. Results revealed that the optimal medium for callus proliferation of embryos in Aesculus hippocastanum L. was MS+8 mg/L 6-BA+1 mg/L NAA. In the optimal medium, the best subculture period was 35 d and the best harvest time was 42 d. The callus specific growth rate and escin specific synthesis rate were analyzed, which showed that with the decrease of the callus growth rate and specific growth rate, the escin synthesis rate and specific synthesis rate was increased.

Key words: Aesculus hippocastanum L. embryos, callus, escin, the proportion of plant growth regulators