In Vitro Mid-Term Conservation of Acorus calamus L. via Cold Storage of Encapsulated Microrhizome

ABSTRACT In vitro rhizome production, encapsulation and cold storage of Acorus calamus were attempted for its propagation and ‘true-to-type’ conservation. Shoot cultures were initiated using underground rhizome buds, on 6-benzyladenine (BA) containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Maximum microrhizome production was observed in presence of 33.3 µM BA, on modified MS medium containing 6% sucrose, 100 mg/L citric acid and 1 g/L polyvinyl pyrrolidone-40. Synthetic seeds were produced from regenerated microtubers by encapsulation in calcium alginate beads. These synthetic seeds were stored in complete darkness at 100C temperature for different durations for mid-term conservation. After cold storage, synthetic seeds were re-cultured in vitro, 100% survival was recorded after the storage of 1, 3 or 6 months; and 80% survival was observed after the storage of 12 months. The microrhizomes were produced roots in 4.9 µM indole-3-butyric acid containing half strength MS medium. All the regenerated plantlets were successfully transferred to field after acclimatization. It is the first report on successful one year in vitro cold storage of A. calamus.

An updated review on medicinal herb genus Spilanthes / 中西医结合学报

Herbal medicine has been used in medical practice for thousands of years and recognized especially as a valuable and readily available resource for healthcare in Asian nations. India is a vast repository of medicinal plants that can be developed as a safe and economical system of medicine for the treatment of various ailments. Unfortunately, most of the traditionally used medicinal plants are yet unexplored or have not been fully examined by modern medical science. Therefore, exploring traditionally reported medicinal plants to leverage their potential for the betterment of human health is of great importance. The present review examines a promising medicinal plant genus Spilanthes. In recent years, many new compounds and activities of this plant genus have been established. The present review therefore, aims to compile up-to-date and comprehensive information of genus Spilanthes with special emphasis on phytochemical and ethnomedical uses, scientifically documented pharmacological activities and tissue culture methods for conservation.