Phytochemical Studies and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Potential of Native and Micropropagated Plants of Tylophora indica: A Comparative Study

Abstract

The present study was conducted on an important medicinal plant namely Tylophora indica (Burm. F.) Merill which is commonly known as an asthma herb. It is a threatened medicinal plant (climber) of the family Asclepiadaceae. We present an efficient and reproducible in vitro protocol for the mass propagation of this plant under in vitro conditions. Thereafter the present study deals with phytochemical analysis of Tylophora indica followed by evaluation of antimicrobial potential of in vivo and in vitro plants. Leaf explants were excised from 5 year old field grown mature plant and were planted on Murashige and Skoog‟s (MS) medium supplemented with with BAP (4.4μM - 22μM) either alone or in combination with adenine sulphate (1.35μ) for de novo adventitious shoot formation directly from the leaf segments. Nodular meristemoids differentiated from the cut ends of leaf lamina after 10-12 days of culturing and covered the whole surface of leaf explant within 4-5 weeks. Eventually, these meristemoids developed into green leafy shoots. Initially, fewer shoots were formed but number increased further to 45-50 shoots per flask on subsequent subculturing in 80% of the cultures. Regenerated shoots of length 4-5cm were separated and subjected to rooting on half strength MS medium or MS medium supplemented with IBA. The best rooting was induced on MS medium supplemented with IBA where aggregate of long healthy roots was formed. Half strength MS medium also showed equally good response inducing rooting in 70% of cultures but the number of roots formed were less. Rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized through various hardening stages and were successfully transferred to the field conditions depicting 90% survival rate with no phenotypic variations observed. The present study also deals with phytochemical studies in Tylophora indica. Plant extracts were analyzed for phytochemical constituents. The qualitative analysis confirmed the presence of various phytochemicals like Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Steroids, Tannins and Triterpenoids whereas absence of Saponins and Phenols was reported in both in vivo and in vitro aqueous and ethanolic plant extract of Tylophora indica.