Objectives

Caralluma is a xerophytic genus used as traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, inflammation, leprosy, obesity and rheumatism. Objectives of this review are to establish a relationship between traditional uses and scientific studies by critically evaluating the available fragmented literature on ethnobotany, pharmacology, phytochemistry and toxicology of genus Caralluma.



Key findings

Ethnomedical uses of Caralluma have been recorded from various countries such as China, India, Iran and Pakistan for six major classes of diseases including diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders. This review indicated the efficacy of genus Caralluma in several in vitro and in vivo pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activity. These bioactivity might be due to the presence of certain classes of compounds in genus Caralluma including pregnane glycosides, flavonoid glycosides and flavones.



Summary

Traditional uses and scientific evaluation of Caralluma indicates that it is one of the most widely used genus in some parts of the world. Further studies on the structural activity relationship of some of the isolated compound may improve their biological potency as well as scientific exploitation of traditional uses of the genus.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jphp.12265

A review on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of plant genus Caralluma R. Br

Dendrocalamus strictus popularly known as ‘Male bamboo’ is a multipurpose bamboo which is extensively utilized in pharmaceutical, paper, agricultural and other industrial implements. In this study, in vitro regeneration of D. strictus through nodal culture has been attempted. Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with 4 mg/l BAP was found to be most effective in shoot regeneration with 3.68 ± 0.37 shoots per explant. The effect of Kn was found to be moderate. These hormones also had considerable effect on the shoot length. The highest shoot length after 6 weeks (3.11 ± 0.41 cm) was noted with 5 mg/l BAP followed by 3.07 ± 0.28 cm with 5 mg/l Kn, while decrease in the shoot length was noted with other treatments. The effect of IBA and NAA individually or in combination at different concentrations on rooting was evaluated. The highest number of root (1.36 ± 0.04) was regenerated on full-strength MS medium supplemented with 3 mg/l NAA, while maximum length of 1.64 ± 0.03 cm of roots was recorded with combination of 1 mg/l IBA and 3 mg/l NAA. Tissue-cultured plants thus obtained were successfully transferred to the soil. The clonal fidelity among the in vitro-regenerated plantlets was assessed by RAPD and ISSR markers. The ten RAPD decamers produced 58 amplicons, while nine ISSR primers generated a total of 66 bands. All the bands generated were monomorphic. These results confirmed the clonal fidelity of the tissue culture-raised D. strictus plantlets and corroborated the fact that nodal culture is perhaps the safest mode for multiplication of true to type plants.

/pdf/micropropagation-and-assessment-of-genetic-fidelity-of-m0ipxvtvok.pdf

Micropropagation and assessment of genetic fidelity of Dendrocalamus strictus (Roxb.) nees using RAPD and ISSR markers.

The present work developed an efficient plant regeneration and propagation system via direct organogenesis for Morinda officinalis How., a valuable endangered medicinal plant. The effects of explant types on shoot induction, plant growth regulators on shoot proliferation and elongation and the subsequent rooting ability of shoots were examined. Among the various types of explant, direct shoot proliferation was successfully achieved from shoot tips and nodal stem segments with around 95% of the explants producing approximately 5 shoots per explant after 8 weeks of culture on optimal medium. On the other hand, leaf and internodal explants did not produce any shoots. The most effective cytokinin on shoot proliferation was 6-benzyladenine. When the concentration of 6benzyladenine was at 1.0-2.0 mg L -1 , a high mean shoot number (about 5 shoots per explant) was achieved. Shoot elongation was obtained satisfactorily by transferring the shoots to Murashige and Skoog basal media containing 2.0-3.0 mg L -1 gibberellic acid-3 within 2 weeks. Rooting was 100% on half-strength Murashige and Skoog medium containing 0.2 mg L -1 indole-3-butyric acid after 3 weeks of culture. The plantlets were acclimatized in the greenhouse and subsequently transferred to the field with 90% survival rate.

An Efficient Micropropagation System for Morinda officinalis How. (Rubiaceae), an Endangered Medicinal Plant

Caralluma diffusa (Wight) N.E.Br is rare and an endemic medicinally important plantbelonging to the family Asclepiadaceae. A cost effective and efficient protocol has beendescribed in the present work for large scale and rapid propagation through in vitro organogenesis using nodal explants cultured on Murashige and Skoogâ€™s (MS) media fortifiedwith BAP, 2,4-D, NAA and Kn. The highest frequency ( 83.3%) of callus was observed in MSmedium containing NAA (2mg/L) in combination with BAP (0.5mg/L) + Kn (0.25mg/L).Development of highest percentage of shoot organogenesis (82.4%) occurred when the calliwere sub cultured in MS medium supplemented with combination of BAP + NAA + Kn (2.0+ 0.5 + 0.25mg/L). Multiple shoots were induced from the nodal segments cultured onmedium containing BAP or Kn alone or in combination. Highest number of shoots(6.40Â±0.34) and maximum length of shoots (6.61Â±1.01cm) were obtained on MS mediumcontaining BAP (2.5mg/L). These shoots were then cultured on half strength MS mediumsupplemented with various concentrations of IBA and NAA. Highest percentage of rooting(78.4%) and mean length of rootlets was observed on IBA (0.5mg/L) in combination withNAA (0.5mg/L). In vitro derived plantlets were hardened and acclimatized. About 98% ofplantlets survived in field condition. The method described here can be successfully employed for large scale multiplication, long term in vitro conservation. This is the firstreport on indirect organogenesis of universally threatened cacti C. diffusa .

In vitro propagation of a rare succulent medicinal plant Caralluma diffusa (Wight) N.E.Br.

Micropropagation of three Brachystelma species and investigations of their phytochemical content and antioxidant activity.

In vitro propagation of Boucerosia diffusa Wight (Apocynaceae), an endemic medicinal plant of Western Ghats, (Tamil Nadu, India) was carried out. Nodal explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with cytokinins [benzyl aminopurine (BAP), kinetin (Kn), thidiazuron (TDZ) & zeatin] either individually or in combinations. Shoot buds proliferated on MS medium+BAP (8.87 μM) and repeated subculture on MS+BAP (8.87 μM)+TDZ (2.27 μM) promoted the shoot multiplication. The regenerated shoots were then rooted on MS+NAA (2.69 μM). The micropropagated planlets were hardened with the survival success rate of 56%. The developed micropropagation protocol would help ex situ conservation of this endemic species.

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/14580/1/IJBT%2011%283%29%20344-347.pdf

In vitro shoot multiplication from nodal explants of Boucerosia diffusa Wight—An endemic medicinal plant

Inflammation is part of the body's immune response. There can be four primary indicators of inflammation like pain, redness, heat or warmness and swelling. Plants have the ability to synthesize a wide range of phytochemicals as secondary metabolites which shows anti-inflammatory activity. Inflammation is currently treated by NSAIDs. Unfortunately these drugs cause increased risk of blood clot resulting in heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, the developments of potent anti-inflammatory drugs from the natural products are now under considerations. A natural product of medicinal plants plays a major role to cure many diseases associated with inflammation. The conventional anti-inflammatory drug available in the market produces various side-effects. Due to these side-effects, there is need for the search of newer drugs with less or no side-effects. The present study was carried out to evaluate in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of ethanolic extract of Tamilnadia uliginosa fruit. Finally the study was concluded that the extract showed anti-inflammatory activities.

T Ramadevi

Papers

In vitro shoot multiplication from nodal explants of Boucerosia diffusa Wight—An endemic medicinal plant

In vitro Antiinflammatory activity of Tamilnadia uliginosa Fruit extract