In-vitro Propagation of Pharmacologically Important Medicinally Plants Producing Bioactive Compounds

In-vitro Propagation of Medicinal Plants

Abstract

In-vitro plant propagation is one of the promising strategies for sustainable production of medicinal plants. Plant tissue culture involves in-vitro propagation of plant parts under controlled conditions. It is a very useful technique for fundamental and applied research and has many commercial uses. Medicinal plants have been used to treat many diseases since decades. They are enriched with pharmacologically important bio-active compounds. These bio-active compounds can be used to treat different human ailments. Because of over-exploitation of these medicinal plants, there is a need to sustain their production. The most commonly used medicinal plants are Aconite, Alfa Alfa , Aloe Vera, Borage, Comfrey, Ephedra, Germander, Ginkgo biloba, Neem, Licorice, Isapghul, Sassafras, Senna, St. John’s wort ,Neem ,Tulsi. The current review gives insights into important compounds produced by popular medicinal plants. Some of the important bioactive compounds are taxol, methane, acetic acid, carotenoids, flavonoids, carnitine, choline, dithiolthiones, phytosterols, phytoestrogens, glucosinolates, polyphenols, and taurine. The review also focuses on in-vitro propagation of medicinally important plants to ensure their availability irrespective of seasonal and geographical constraints.