Renu Sarin

An in vitro protocol was developed for callus production and regeneration of Butea monosperma of family fabaceae which is widely used in traditional medicine around the world. It is a common plant of medicinal value and distributed throughout India and is known as Flame of forest,  palash, mutthuga, bijasneha, dhak, khakara, chichra. Different explants (seeds and nodal segments) used in the present investigation responded differently to various concentration and combinations of hormones. Nodal segments were founds to be more suitable explants than seeds of this plant.  In vitro generation of callus was initiated from young nodal segments on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of phytohormones. The callus initiation took place within 15-24 days of inoculation of nodal segments. The unorganized mass of callus tissues thus developed was hard and blackish. It was maintained on MS media by frequent subculturings after every 4-6 weeks. It grew profusely after a number of subculturings and possessed high capacity of growth. It was observed that BAP (2.5 mg/L) in combination with NAA (0.5 mg/L) was best for callus induction and establishment. Kn did not proved to be beneficial for producing callus in the present investigation. Nodal segments inoculated in the media supplemented with BAP: NAA: IAA (1:1: 0.2mgL-1) gave long multiple shoot .  These shoots were rooted in media without any growth regulators. Profuse rooting was seen in in vitro regenerated shoots grown in the media  supplemented with IBA (3.0mgL-1)  and when NAA also added in the media IBA: NAA (2: 0.2mgL-1),  rooting from in vitro  shoots  were observed. The results accomplished were found to be useful in developing a complete in vitro regeneration protocol towards the mass production of Butea monosperma, which may provide a basis for further genetic improvement that may prove its use as an alternative medicinal resource in commercial applications. 

Cyperusrotundus is an important medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine around the world. An in vitro tissue culture of this plant was raised for investigating its naturally occurring insecticidal compound- the rotenoids. Callus of C. rotunduswas initiated from young rhizomes on MS basal medium supplemented with different concentrations of growth hormones. Five rotenoids viz., elliptone, tephrosin, rotenone, sumatrol and deguelin were identified from plant parts (rhizome and leaves) as well as callus cultures on the basis of  thin layer-chromatography, Gas liquid-chromatography and high performance liquid -chromatography. Rotenoid content was higherin rhizome (6.7 mg/g.dw) in comparison to leaf and calli (4.6 mg/g.dw and 6.2 mg/g.dw respectively).

Herbal medicine represents one of the most important fields of traditional medicine all over the world. To promote the proper use of herbal medicine and to determine their potential as source for new drugs it is essential to study medicinal plants .The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of crude extract isolated from callus and different plant parts (leaf, stem and root) of a medicinal plant - Clerodendrum inerme. In vivo and in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of various extracts of Clerodendrum inerme was assessed by disc diffusion method against Gram positive bacteria - Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633) (B.s.), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) (S.a.) Gram negative bacteria - Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) (E.c.), Psedomaonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853) (P.a.) and fungal strains Aspergillus niger (ATCC 16404) (A.n.), Aspergillus flavus (ATCC 9807) (A.f.), Candida albicans (ATCC 5027) (C.a.) and Candida glabrata (ATCC 66032) (C.g.)on the basis of inhibition zone and minimum inhibitory concentration.  The crude extract of selected plant parts and callus with methanol showed significant and more pronounced antimicrobial activity on the used microorganisms.

Medicinal plants are being popular these days to cure diseases due to rapid increase in the rate of infectious diseases day by day and their less side effects over synthetic antibiotics. In the present study two medicinally important plants of family cucurbitaceae vis. Luffa cylindrica Linn. and Citrullus colocynthis Linn. Leaf, stem and calli phytochemical extracts viz. alkaloids, flavonoids and sterols were evaluated against some pathogenic strains of bacteria and fungi viz. Staphylococcus epidermis (MTCC 3615), Micromona spora (MTCC 3296), Fusarium culmorum (MTCC349), Alternaria solani (MTCC 2101), Penicillium chrysogenum (MTCC 161). The antibacterial and antifungal activities were performed by Disc diffusion method. The  on the basis of inhibition zone(IZ) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).Among all the extracts sterol extracts of both the plant species showed highest antimicrobial activity. Results obtained in the present study indicate Luffa cylindrical Linn. and Citrullus colocynthis Linn. Leaf, stem and calli phytochemical extracts viz. alkaloids, flavonoids and sterols possesses antimicrobial properties that can be exploited for future natural plant based antimicrobial agents.