Abstract

MICROPROPAGATION OF JUSTICIA ADHATODA: MEDICINAL PLANT OF FAMILY ACANTHACEAE.

Alka Sharma*, Vijay R. Kumar and Ashwani Kumar

Abstract

Expanding global use of traditional medicines is leading to fast depletion of medicinal plants from the nature. Their cultivation in many areas has not been successful and there is concern about genetic fidelity. Cultivation has also reduced their secondary metabolite contents as compared to wild type. Plant tissue culture offers an easy and reproducible method of micro propagation of medicinal plants on large scale. The present paper describes micro propagation of Justicia adhatoda and possible efforts on metabolic engineering.

Keywords: Metabolic engineering, secondary metabolites, Justicia, Acanthaceae.