Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS AND IN VITRO PRODUCTION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS FROM AERIAL EXPLANTS OF Adansonia digitata L.

Singh Sugandha* and Rai Shashi

Abstract

Adansonia digitata L. (Bombacaceae) (Baobab) is popular in many African countries due to its nutritional and medicinal value. The plant is a massive tree with a very large trunk (up to 10 m diameter) which can grow up to 25 metres in height and may live for hundreds of years. It is widespread throughout the hot and drier regions of tropical Africa (FAO, 1988). The plant is known as Kalpavriksha in India and very few reports validate its presence in the country. In the present study, Quantitative phytochemical analysis for the production of bioactive compounds in the in vitro grown cultures of stem and leaf samples derived calli of Adansonia digitata L. was carried out. The phytochemicals produced in vitro by cell suspension cultures were compared with those of in vivo stem and leaf samples. The results showed the presence of increased phenolics, flavonoids, tannins and terpenes in all the in vitro methanolic extracts. Methanolic extract of leaf calli showed highest anti-oxidant activity. The present studies can open new horizons in the field of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. This also justifies the use of plant species in traditional medicine for treatment of diseases.

Keywords: Phytochemicals, Adansonia digitata, phenolics, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, cell suspension.