Induction of in vitro root tubers in Holostemma annulare (Roxb.) K. Schum. for the production of bioactive metabolites

Induction of in vitro root tubers in Holostemma annulare (Roxb.) K. Schum. for the production of bioactive metabolites

Holostemma annulare (Family Asclepiadaceae) is an invaluable vulnerable medicinal plant; the root tubers are used in Ayurveda medicine and by folk healers to treat various ailments. In this study, Schenk and Hildebrandt medium fortified with the cytokinins 6-benzyl adenine, kinetin, and auxins, including indole 3-butyric acid, indole 3-acetic acid, α-naphthaleneacetic acid, and 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid, were checked for their efficiency on root tuber induction from different explants. Adventitious root tubers were more successfully induced from in vitro leaf segments and shoots when cultured in Schenk and Hildebrandt medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l of α -naphthaleneacetic acid. In addition, preliminary phyto-chemical analysis of in vitro root tubers and identification of different secondary metabolites were conducted. Thin layer chromatography and high performance thin layer chromatography analysis of the crude methanolic extracts of the in vitro root tuber identified the presence of lupeol, a bioactive triterpene. Adventitious root tuber induction offers a novel method for the in vitro production of bioactive metabolites that can be scaled up by bioreactors, thus ensuring the conservation and sustainable utilization of H. annulare. The study warrants further scale-up production and pharmacological investigation that can be extended for pharmaceutical needs.