Methyl jasmonate, when administered to Lithospermum erythrorhizon cell suspension cultures, was found to induce the production of shikonin derivatives (the red naphthoquinone pigments of the root) and dihydroechinofuran (an abnormal metabolite of geranylhydroquinone). Culture experiments showed that methyl jasmonate caused a rapid increase in the activities of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of shikonin such as p-hydroxybenzoate geranyltransferase, which was followed by the rapid accumulation of dihydroechinofuran and the delayed production of shikonin. The induction patterns observed were similar to those elicited by oligogalacturonides in Lithospermum cells, suggesting that jasmonic acid or its derivative may act as a signaling molecule in the elicitation of shikonin biosynthesis. Interestingly, however, the copper ion, which is essential for inducing shikonin biosynthesis by oligogalacturonides, was not required for shikonin induction by methyl jasmonate.