Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

Lawsonia inermis Linn. is an important medicinal plant, which grows up to 4 to 5 feet high in hot and dry climates and widely cultivated as a hedge plant. It is a unique source of various pharmacologically important compounds such as naphthoquinone (lawsone) derivatives, aliphatic components, triterpenes, sterols, phenolic derivatives, coumarins, xanthones, and flavonoids. As the global scenario is now changing towards the use of safer non-toxic plant products having traditional medicinal applications, development of modern drugs from henna should be emphasized for the control of various diseases. Lawsonia inermis is known to have immunomodulatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antifertility, hepatoprotective, antimitotic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Conventionally it is propagated through stem cuttings or by seeds, which cannot meet out demand of quality planting material. Therefore, there is a need to develop an efficient micropropagation protocol for the production of quality planting material of Lawsonia inermis. In the present study, effect of cytokinins and polyamines on multiplication of Lawsonia inermis have been reported. Multiple shoots of L. inermis were induced using nodal segment explant on MS medium supplemented with 0.20 mg-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) + 0.2 mgl-1 Kinetin (Kn), 0.5 mg-1. Rate of multiplication was higher in the medium supplemented with two cytokinins as compared to the polyamines. There was no significant difference in the length of shoots in all the combination used. Rooting was readily achieved upon transferring the shoots onto MS basal medium supplemented with 2.0 mg-1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) after ten days of culture. Micropropagated plants were acclimatized and successfully grown in soil and it is expected that this protocol will be very useful for large-scale production of Lawsonia inermis in future.

Biography

Prof A Chaudhury, Chairman, Department of Bio & Nano Technology, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar has teaching and research experience of more than twenty years in the area of Molecular Biology and Plant Biotechnology. He has published more than 65 research papers in National and International journals and participated in 25 National and International conferences. Eight students have been awarded PhD degrees under his Supervision and eight more are working under his Supervision in different areas of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology. Additionally, he has completed three Research & Development projects from various funding agencies and PI and Coordinator of DBT sponsored HRD Program, FIST, BIF, DST sponsored M. Tech. Program and UGC SAP DRS phase I program. He is a recipient of DBT Overseas Associateship and Commonwealth Visiting Fellowship, UK and awarded one European Patent and one Indian Patent in Plant Biotechnology.