Micropropagation and multiple shoot formation from nodal explants of Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R.Br. - A rare medicinal plant

Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. (Common name Anantamula, Ksheerini, Sarsaparilla) belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae. It is one of the rare medicinal & aromatic plant of South Asia. The plant is used to cure leprosy, leucoderma, itching and skin disease, asthma, bronchitis, leucorrhoea, dysentery, piles, syphilis and paralysis. It promotes health and is used in treatment of diseases caused by vitiated blood. The present study deals with the development of an efficient protocol for regeneration of Hemidesmus indicus R.Br. by using node segment as explants. The nodal explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of growth hormones. The explants were cultured for 4 weeks on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of BAP (6-Benzylaminopurine) and KN (6-Furfurylaminopurine) for shoot initiation and multiplication. Highest shoot induction (90%) and multiple shoot induction (09%) were observed on MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/L BAP with 02-04 shoots/explants. Average shoot length observed was 2cm. 77.7% rooting was observed in the MS medium containing 2.0 mg/L IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid) with root length 01-04 cm. The procedure reported in this study suggests that multiplication via tissue culture can be a commercially feasible method for Hemidesmus propagation. It would be helpful in providing uniform and consistent plant material for investigation of important secondary metabolites produced by this species, as well as its use as medicinal & aromatic plants.