Micropropagation of traditional medicinal plant Ceropegia juncea

Abstract

Ceropegia species which possess wide medicinal properties are being used in different traditional medicinal systems that are used by tribal people for curing different ailments. Ceropegia juncea was reported to be the source of ‘Soma’, a plant drug of the Ayurvedic system of medicine. The plant extract is used for the treatment of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiulcer activities, liver disorders, hypotension, ulcerative condition and fever. It is also used as typical anesthetic agent. The present study was conducted to establish a protocol for in- vitro propagation of an endemic medicinal plant Ceropegia juncea maximum shoot proliferation better shoots with a sprouting frequency of 86% and with an average of 8.28 ±1.11 shoots /explants and attained a length of 5.37±0.74 cm was achieved on Murashige and Skoog’s, 1962 (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) 1.5 mg/L + NAA 1.0mg/L and highest rooting of in vitro derived shoots was achieved on half MS with IBA 0.75mg/L.