Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and biotechnological advances of family Apocynaceae: A review.

The family Apocynaceae is one of the largest and important families in angiosperm. Several members of this family have medicinal properties and have been in the treatment of various ailments. Most of them are consumed as food by tribal people whereas a few plants are used as source of poison. Members of family Apocynaceae are rich in alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, glycosides, simple phenols, lactones, and hydrocarbons. Other compounds such as sterols, lignans, sugars, lignans, and lactones have been isolated and systematically studied. Few studies have reported antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of crude extracts as well as single compound(s) isolated from various members of the family Apocynaceae. Holarrhena antidysenterica, Rauvolfia serpentina, Carissa carandas, and Tabernaemontana divaricata are the extensively studied plants in this family. The present review provides a detailed outlook on ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and biological activities of selected members of this family. Moreover, it also covers the biotechnological advances used for large-scale production of bioactive compounds of therapeutic interest along with plant tissue culture-based approaches for conservation of this medicinally valuable family.

Data on the cost effective surface sterilization method for C.carandas (L.) seeds and callus induction from aseptic seedling.

Surface sterilization of explant is an important and most sensitive step in plant tissue culture. Inappropriate concentrations of sterilants have lethal effect in cell division and it restricts growth and development of explant. Therefore, suitable concentration, combinations and duration of exposure of sterilant is essential to raise in vitro cultures successfully. This data demonstrates use of various sterilizing agents for aseptic plantlet germination from seed of Carissa carandas (Apocynaceae). The present dataset provides information in support of cost-effective explant sterilization potential of benzalkonium chloride containing commercial bleach (Lizol) and its comparison with traditionally used surface sterilants in plant tissue culture i.e. 0.1% HgCl2 alone and in combination with 70% alcohol. The data on callogenic response using MS medium supplemented with plant growth regulators is also shared.