In vitro multiplication of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell from shoot tip and nodal explants.

Abstract

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell (Scrophulariaceae), popularly known as ‘Brahmi’ or ‘Jal-brahmi’ in India, is one of the sources of the medhya rasayan drugs (that counteract stress and improve intelligence and memory) of Ayurveda. It is prescribed for a variety of therapeutic indications including antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, epilepsy, insanity, anticancer, antioxidant activities and memory enhancement. Therefore, the present study was to determine the in vitro mass multiplication of B. monnieri by using shoot tip and nodal explants which were inoculated in the Murashige and Skoog’S (MS) medium fortified with various growth regulators such as 6 benzyl aminopurine (BAP), Indole-3-butric acid ( IBA ), -Napthalene acetic acid (NAA), Kinetin (KN) and Gibberellic acid (GA3). Nodal explants responded better than the shoot tip explants and gave maximum shoots on BAP + KN + NAA (0.5 to 2.0 mg/1) supplemented medium. The regenerated shoots were rooted on MS medium with NAA 0.5 mg/1 and IBA 1 mg/1 gave good results within ten days. Almost 96% of the rooted shoots survived hardening under glass house and transferred to the field. The regenerated plants did not show any morphological change and variation in levels of secondary metabolites when compared with the mother stock.