Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AND OPTIMIZATION OF CALLUS INDUCTION OF COSTUS MEXICANA LIEBM. AN INSULIN PLANT

*S Manorama¹, V. S. Srikanth¹ and Sindhu S²

¹PG and Research Dept. of Botany,Kongunadu Arts and Science College (Autonomous), Coimbatore-29, Tamilnadu, India.
²Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Bangalore, India.

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants continue to be an important therapeutic aid for alleviating ailments of human kind. Costus mexicana, a medicinal plant used in the antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic actions. In the present study, the antibacterial and antifungal properties of the leaf stem and rhizome of wild Costus mexicana were determined using different solvent extracts viz., Petroleum ether, acetone and ethanol extracts. In vitro studies of this plant showed high frequency shoot bud induction and regeneration from leaves, shoot tip and intermodal segment explants on MS medium with TDZ (0.1- 0.6 mg/L), 2,4-D (0.1-0.6mg/L) and NAA (0.1-0.6mg/L). Maximum frequency of multiple shoot bud induction was observed at 0.5 TDZmg/L. The protocol for multiple shoots production, surface sterilization of explants, rooting and elongation media was standardized.

Keywords: Costus Mexicana, Antimicrobial activity, In vitro regeneration.