Agrica
Year : 2012, Volume : 1, Issue : 1and2
First page : ( 41) Last page : ( 44)
Print ISSN : 2320-1193.

Micropropagation of an herbal drug, Withania somnifera

Saxena M., Ali S. A.

Post Graduate Department of Biotechnology, Saifia College of Science & Education, Bhopal-462001, India

Online published on 11 December, 2014.

Abstract

In vitro plant regeneration is a biotechnological tool that offers a potential solution to this problem as it provides, a means of putting the plants on to the market at lower and affordable prices at the same time conserving the nature, Withania somnifera is one such wonderful plant which has tremendous potential in the use of several ailments such as Parkinson's, memory loss and heart diseases. It is also being used as an antioxidant, antivenom, antiflammatory and antitumor agent, however it's over use is making this plant disappear fast, and hence micropropagation of Withania somnifera (solanaceae) collected locally was tried. For initiation of multiplication, MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BAPand IAA were used. Cultures were maintained at 16hrs photoperiod. Satisfactory growth was obtained with auxiliary cotyledonary shoots growing significantly. Such provision of alternative sources of medicinal plants by encouraging their cultivation will go along way in reducing their heavy dependence on the wild populations, as conventionl propogation methods have proved to be inadequate to meet this challenge. Largescale production through plant in vitro regeneration will provide a means of putting the various plant products on to the market at affordable lower prices. In addition, the technique is cost effective, relatively simple and can be performed by semi-skilled persons. Micro-propagated plants can be used to supplement the natural stock of plants in wild populations as well as provide a ready supply to the herbal medicinal trade.

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Keywords

Micropropagation, Withania somnifera Medicinal plant.

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