Studies with Callus Induction of Vitex Negundo: an Aromatic Medicinal Plant

Abstract

Vitex negundo (Family: Verbenaceae) is a commonly used medicinal plant of Bangladesh. It has a broad range of uses in folk medicine. The plant parts possess diverse pharmacological activities including antimicrobial, analgesic, antiinflammatory, anti-fertility, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, and hepato-protective effects. Considering its importance in folk medicine, an in vitro method of callus induction for this plant was developed. The objective was to investigate the effects of phytohormones for callus induction in the species. Explants (leaves and internodes) collected from field grown plants were cultured onto Murashige-Skoog’s (MS) medium following surface sterilization with 0.1% HgCl2 containing different concentrations and combination of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D), a-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP); 3% sugar and 7% agar. Among the auxins, 2, 4-D [2.0 mg/l] supplemented in MS medium showed highest response for callogenesis with white and friable callus, whereas slower response than 2, 4-D, but friable and embryonic callus was obtained in MS + NAA [1.5 mg/l]. Quick and fastest callus growth was observed when the combination of 2, 4-D [3.0 mg/l] and NAA [1.0 mg/l] was added to MS medium. The only exception between the combinations was the variation in forming loose and wet callus. This callus induction protocol developed from our experiment can successfully play a role for large-scale culture of this shrub in vitro and isolation of bioactive compounds from this plant.