Cytokinin induced shoot regeneration and flowering of Scoparia dulcis L.(Scrophulariaceae)-an ethnomedicinal herb

Objective:To develop an improved protocol for micropropagation of ethnomedicinally important Scoparia dulcis(S.dulcis) L.Methods:Explants were inoculated on MS basal medium supplemented with kinelin and 6-benzylaminopurine for shoot bud induction.To enhance the shoot induction,various auxins like 3-indoleacetic acid or 3-indolebutyric acid or a-naphthylacetic acid were tested along with 2.32 M KI and 4.44 μ M BAP.The regenerated shoots were rooted in half strength MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of IAA,IBA or NAA.After roots were developed,the plantlets were transplanted to pots filled with vermiculate and sand and kept in growth chamber with 70%-80%humidity under 16 h photoperiod.After acclimatization,the plantlets were transferred to the garden and survival percentage was calculated.Data were statistically analyzed and means were compared using Duncan's multiple range test(P<0.05).Results:An in vitro method was developed to induce high frequency shoots regeneration from stem,mature leaf and young leaf explants of S.dulcis.Shoot induction on young leaf explants was most successful in MS medium supplemented with combination of two cytokinins(2.32 μ M KI and 4.44 μ M BAP) 2.85 μ M IAA,10%CM and 1 483.79 μM adenine sulfate.A single young leaf explant was capable of producing 59 shoots after 13 days of culture. Flower was induced in medium supplemented with combination of KI and BAP.Conclusions: Cytokinins are the key factor to induce the direct shoot regeneration and flowering of S.dulcis.

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of endophytic fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolated from endemic tree Cinnamomum malabatrum

In a survey of endophytic fungi associated with endemic plant Cinnamomum malabatrum leaves harbored a bioactive endophytic isolate CMS 3 was identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides through morphological and phylogenetic analysis based on ITS-rDNA.The ethyl acetate extract of fermentation broth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides CMS 3 displayed antimicrobial activity against gram positive and gram negative bacteria as well as the fungal pathogen,Candida albicans.The ethyl acetate crude extract showed in vitro cytotoxicity against the HeLa,MCF-7 and MG63 cancer cell lines with the IC50 values of 94.2μg/ml,84.3μg/ml and 162μg/ml respectively.Gas chromatography and Mass Spectrophotometry(GC-MS)analysis of crude extract confirmed that CMS 3 was a prolific producer of secondary metabolites,in which nearly 74%of the metabolites not listed in the NIST database.Major compounds were phenol 3,5-dimethoxy acetate(11.82%),4'-isopropylidene-bis-(2-cyclohexyl)phenol,N-Didehydrohexacarboxyl-2,4,5-trimethylpiperazine and 1,2,4-Triazolium ylide.These metabolites may be responsible for its antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.