Abstract: In this paper the adventitious root of Tripterygium wilfordii was used as experiment material to study effects of different components in NT medium on the growth, triptolide and total alkaloid contents of the adventitious roots. The components include total nitrogen, the ratio of nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen, and different concentrations of PO₄^3-, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺ etc. Additionally, this study was also to explore the change patterns of secondary metabolites and total alkaloid of the adventitious roots. The results showed that the optimal NT medium composition for the root growth was 1.7 strength of nitrogen, 9∶1 of NO₃^-/NH₄⁺, and 2 strengths of PO₄^3-, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, without change in Fe²⁺ conentration. The basic NT Mg²⁺ concentration, total nitrogen concentration and the NO₃^-/NH₄⁺ ratio, 1.7 strength of PO₄^3-, 1.3 strength of K⁺, 2/3 strength of Ca²⁺ , and 1/3 strength of Fe²⁺ were relatively favorable for the accumulation of triptolide. As for the accumulation of total alkaloids, the optimal component composition was the basic NT PO₄^3- , K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺concentration, but completely replacing the nitrate nitrogen with ammonium nitrogen, and 1/3 strength of Fe²⁺.

Key words: Tripterygium wilfordii, adventitious root, tissue culture, triptolide, total alkaloids