Vinblastine synthesis under the influence of CaCl2 elicitation in embryogenic cell suspension culture of Catharanthus roseus

•Elicitation is an important strategy to get better productivity of secondary metabolites and for reducing production costs.•Ca2+ is very important macro-nutrient and key second messenger in signal transduction.•Elicitation is used to elucidate the complex metabolic pathways.•The biosynthesis of indole alkaloids in C. roseus cell cultures is associated to Ca2+influx and oxidative burst.