A Note on the Micropropagation of Endangered Medicinal Plant, Withania Somnifera

Manish Saxena, Mohammad Sajid and Sharique A. Ali

Department of Biotechnology, Saifia college of Science & Education, Bhopal- 462 001 India.

ABSTRACT: From the beginning of human civilization, plants have been used in medicine and drugs to alleviate human sufferings. The traditional system of medicine is so engrained in our culture that over 75% of Indian population depends on this indigenous system for relief. With such a huge section of an ever-increasing population relying on herbal remedies, coupled with the fact that most of the medicinal plants are getting extinct day by day with their rich sources decreasing at an alarming rate, it becomes imperative to find alternative growth and culture method which can serve economical as well as conservational. 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 its over use is making this plant disappear fast, hence micropropagation of Withania somnifera (Solanaceae) collected locally was tried. For initiation of multiplication, MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BAP and IAA were used. Cultures were maintained at 16hrs photoperiod. Satisfactory growth was obtained with auxillary cotyledonary shoots growing significantly.

KEYWORDS: Micropropagation; Withania somnifera endangered medicinal plant.

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