Abstract

PRODUCTION OF FLAVONOIDS FROM IN VIVO AND IN VITRO TISSUE CULTURES OF LUFFA CYLINDRICA AND CITRULLUS COLOCYNTHIS

Sangeeta Samria and Renu Sarin*

Abstract

An in vitro protocol was developed for production of two important flavonoids, Kaempferol, Quercetin from two medicinally important plants of family Cucurbitaceae viz. Luffa Cyindrica Linn. and Citrullus colocynthis Linn. L.cylindrica (turi) is an important meditional plant and has been used in various disorders and as a health tonic. C. colocynthis (Tumba or Indrayan) is also an important medicional plant used in various disorders . C.colocynthis is very hot in nature and is a potent purgative and was used to initiate absortionin ancient times. Flavonoids are antioxidants present in many herbal plants. Kaempferol and Quercetin are two important flavonoids which have been isolated and identified from stems, leaves and unorganized cultures of Luffa cyindrica and Citrullus colocynthis raised and maintained by frequent subculturing on Murashige and Skoog’s medium (1962). Quantification data revealed that the total amount of free and bound flavonoids was found to be higher in C. colocynthis as compared to L. Cylindrica.

Keywords: Kaempferol, Quercetin, Tissue culture, Luffa Cyindrica Linn. and Citrullus colocynthis .