The history of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) utilization dates back to the beginnings of mankind. Our forefathers used natural substances, they could find in nature, to ease, cure their sufferings, illnesses, to heal their wounds. This type of approach has survived in the Traditional Medicinal (TM) uses, until today, since nearly 80 % of the world population still relies on MAPs in their medications. The renaissance of MAP-use in the high-income countries of the world has brought about a different type of use in the form of Herbal Medicines (CAM). MAPs have become “industrial products” with new concepts like phytotherapy and veterinary medicinal uses, aromatherapy, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and animal welfare uses widening the scope of the utilization. New, innovative, value added applications include their use in functional foods, animal husbandry, as well as plant protection in agriculture. In this regards the versatile utilization of essential oils is promising. Modern approaches in production and uses have brought about an increased focus on the importance of quality, safety and efficacy of both MAPs and their produce. MAPs will also maintain their importance in the search for new, valuable sources of drugs and lead compounds. In view of the steadily increasing demands on these important natural resources, attention should be paid to the sustainable forms of production and utilization.

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World

An efficient plant propagation system through nodal explants was established in Ocimum gratissimum L, a medicinally important herbaceous perennial herb belonging to the family Lamiaceae. Axillary shoot bud proliferation was initiated from nodal explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of N6-benzyladenine (BA) (0.5 - 3.0 mg/l), Kinetin (KN) (0.5 - 3.0 mg/l) and 2-isoPentenyladenine (2-iP) (0.5 - 3.0 mg/l). Maximum numbers of shoots (5.17 ± 0.04) with average length (2.50 ± 0.07) were induced on medium containing 1.0 mg/l BA. Shoot multiplication was maintained by repeated subculturing the original nodal explants on shoot multiplication medium after each harvest of newly formed shoots. Histological study shows that the organogenesis occurs directly, without callus formation on epidermal and sub epidermal layer of the explants. Rooting of shoots was achieved on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/1 Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 2% sucrose. Well-developed complete plantlets were transferred to plastic pots containing a mixture of (1:1) soil and vermiculite showed 82.5 % survival rate. Genetic fidelity was assessed by chromosome analysis and DNA fingerprinting using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) of in vitro and in vivo plants. Nine arbitrary decamers displayed same banding profile showed no genomic alterations, indicating homogeneity among the tissue culture regenerates and genetic uniformity with that of donor plants. The present study provides high fidelity micro-propagated system for efficient and rapid micro-propagation protocol of this important medicinal plant and great use in conserving without risk of genetic instability.

https://file.scirp.org/pdf/AJPS20120100014_26318448.pdf

In Vitro Propagation of Ocimum Gratissimum L. (Lamiaceae) and Its Evaluation of Genetic Fidelity Using RAPD Marker

Effects of plant growth regulators, different culture media and strength MS on production of volatile fraction composition in shoot cultures of Ocimum basilicum

An efficient plant regeneration protocol has been developed from nodal explants of Ocimum kilimandscharicum Guerke, a medicinally important herbaceous plant species belonging to the family Lamiaceae. Axillary shoot bud proliferation was initiated from nodal explants cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BA) (0.5–3.0 mg/l), kinetin (KN) (0.5–3.0 mg/l) and 2-isoPentenyladenine (2-iP) (0.5–3.0 mg/l). The maximum number of shoots (6.09±0.05), with average length 3.83±0.11 cm, was achieved with medium containing 1.0 mg/l BA. Shoot culture was established by repeated subculturing of the original nodal explants on shoot multiplication medium after each harvest of newly formed shoots. In this way, 20–30 shoots were obtained from a single nodal explant after 5 months. Rooting of shoots was achieved on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/1 Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 2% sucrose. Well-developed plantlets transferred to plastic pots containing soil and vermiculite (1:1) showed 81.13% survival. The genetic fidelity of in-vitro-raised field-grown plants to the donor plant was ascertained from random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. This protocol can be used for commercial propagation and for future genetic improvement studies.

http://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/element/bwmeta1.element.oai-journals-pan-pl-81704/c/oai-journals-pan-pl-81704_full-text_abc52_2_07.pdf

Micropropagation of Ocimum kilimandscharicum Guerke (Labiatae)

A highly efficient protocol for in vitro regeneration of an indigenous, endangered medicinal plant Celastrus paniculatus was achieved using nodal explants. Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.1 mg/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) showed maximum percentage of shoot multiplication (83.4%) with 8.2 shoots/explants. Maximum rooting of 73.3% with 4.8 roots/shoot was achieved on half-strength MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and the percentage of survival was 91% after acclimatization. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) marker study confirmed genetic stability for in vitro raised explants by showing 100% monomorphism. High multiplication rate associated with genetic stability ensure the efficacy of the present in vitro clonal propagation protocol of this important medicinal plant species.

Micropropagation and assessment of genetic stability in Celastrus paniculatus: An endangered medicinal plant

The objective of this study was to develop a rapid system for regeneration of the important medicinal plant, Ocimum gratissimum L, from nodal explant. Single node explants were inoculated on basal MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium containing 3% (w/v) sucrose, supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (KN), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for direct plant regeneration. Maximum numbers of shoot (14.3± ± ± ±1.5) were observed on the medium containing 0.5 mg/l BAP and 0.25 mg/l IAA after four weeks of culture. Regenerated shoots were separated and rooted on same half strength MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l of IAA alone for three weeks. Well-developed complete plantlets were transferred on to specially made plastic cup containing soilrite. Acclimatized plantlets were successfully grown in garden soil.

/pdf/in-vitro-multiplication-of-ocimum-gratissimum-l-through-2dh0copc4p.pdf

Y. Nataraja Sekhar

Papers

In vitro multiplication of Ocimum gratissimum L. through direct regeneration