Phytoextraction of arsenic using a weed plant from contaminated water and soil: growth and biochemical response.

Developing effective and environment-friendly alternatives to remove arsenic (As) from soil and water systems is of great importance and phytoremediation may be a promising alternative in this direction. Weeds have wide geographical distribution, not a part of food chain, well adapted to adverse conditions and reported to grow at various heavy metal contaminated sites. The present work delineates potential of a weed plant L.

In vitro flowering in Oldenlandia umbellata L.

Background: Oldenlandia umbellata L. (Indian madder) is an antique Ayurvedic Indian herb and a source of various anthraquinone derivatives. The red dye from its roots has been used in diverse applications since ancient times.

Investigation of arsenic accumulation and biochemical response of in vitro developed Vetiveria zizanoides plants.

Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanoides L. Nash) is found to be a suitable candidate for the phytoremediation of heavy metals. An investigation of arsenic (As) accumulation, translocation and tolerance was conducted in V.

Potential of Vetiveria zizanoides L. Nash for phytoremediation of plutonium ((239)Pu): Chelate assisted uptake and translocation.

Plants have demonstrated a great potential to remove toxic elements from soils and solutions and been successfully used for phytoremediation of important radionuclides. Uptake potential of vetiver plants (V. zizanoides) for the remediation of (239)Pu in hydroponic and soil conditions was studied in the present work.

Identifying a Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase 4a Gene and Its Efficient Agrobacterium-Mediated Genetic Transformation in Bixa orellana L.

Carotenoids are metabolized to apocarotenoids through the pathway catalysed by carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs). The apocarotenoids are economically important as it is known to have therapeutic as well as industrial applications. For instance, bixin from Bixa orellana and crocin from Crocus sativus are commercially used as a food colourant and cosmetics since prehistoric time.

Protective effect of Scutellaria species on AAPH-induced oxidative damage in human erythrocyte.

Background: Scutellaria baicalensis is a well-known plant in traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, several Scutellaria species with therapeutic potential have been recognized worldwide. Scutellaria colebrookiana and Scutellaria violacea, native to the Western Ghats of India, are reported to possess free radical scavenging efficacy.

Toxicity study of dibutyl phthalate of Rubia cordifolia fruits: in vivo and in silico analysis.

Natural toxins from plant sources with wide ranges of biological activities reflect the upswing of drug design in the pharmaceutical industry. Rubia cordifolia L. is one of the most important red dye yielding plants.

Impact of nutrient components on production of the phytoestrogens daidzein and genistein by hairy roots of Psoralea corylifolia.

Transformed hairy roots of Psoralea corylifolia were established by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA 9402. The aim of this work was to elucidate the effects of media constituents on production of the phytoestrogenic isoflavones daidzein and genistein. A.

HPTLC densitometric evaluation of tissue culture extracts of Nothapodytes foetida compared to conventional extracts for camptothecin content and antimicrobial activity.

Tissue culture technique is becoming popular because of its well-known ability to enhance the content of secondary metabolites in plants. Callus tissue cultures of Nothapodytes foetida were developed using 250 different medium compositions to optimize this procedure. Methanolic extracts of callus (MEC) and of various parts of N.

Studied enhancement strategies for phytoestrogens production in shake flasks by suspension culture of Psoralea corylifolia.

This study proposed secondary metabolites incremental yield due to manipulation of nutrient components into the culture medium. To validate this, the effects of nutrients such as carbon, phosphate and nitrogen on growth and production of phytoestrogens daidzein and genistein by suspension cultures of Psoralea corylifolia was investigated for the first time. The maximum production of daidzein and genistein was achieved when sucrose and maltose used as a sole source of carbon.

Enhanced production of azadirachtin by hairy root cultures of Azadirachta indica A. Juss by elicitation and media optimization.

Azadirachtin is one of the most potent biopesticides so far developed from a plant sources. Influence of different culture media and elicitation on growth and production of azadirachtin by hairy root cultures of Azadirachta indica was studied. Out of the three media tested, namely Ohyama and Nitsch, Gamborg's and Murashige and Skoog's basal media, hairy roots cultured on Ohyama and Nitsch's basal medium produced maximum yield of azadirachtin (0.

Distribution of anticancer drug camptothecin in Nothapodytes foetida.

The topoisomerase I-DNA inhibitor alkaloid camptothecin has been evaluated from the various parts of Nothapodytes foetida. The bark contained 0.27% dry wt of camptothecin and 0.

Comparison of techniques for the extraction of the anti-cancer drug camptothecin from Nothapodytes foetida.

Extraction methods using stirring extraction, Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic extraction and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were evaluated for the percentage extraction of camptothecin (CPT) and 9-methoxycamptothecin (9-Me-CPT) from Nothapodytes foetida. The extracts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Methanol (90%, v/v) extracted high percentage extraction of CPT and 9-Me-CPT compared to ethanol (90%, v/v).

Antimicrobial activity of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract.

The ethanolic extract of Gymnema sylvestre leaves demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Bacillus pumilis, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus and inactivity against Proteus vulgaris and Escherichia coli.

Studies on production of ajmalicine in shake flasks by multiple shoot cultures of Catharanthus roseus.

The effects of different concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and benzyladenine (BA) on production of ajmalicine by multiple shoot cultures of Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) were studied. By supplementing Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium with a high concentration of IAA (11.

Influence of fungal elicitors on production of ajmalicine by cell cultures of Catharanthus roseus.

Suspension cultures of Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) were elicited with fungal cell wall fragments of Aspergillus niger (A. niger), Fusarium moniliforme (F.

Growth and production of camptothecin by cell suspension cultures of Nothapodytes foetida.

Callus cultures were initiated from stem parts of Nothapodytes foetida on Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with different growth regulators. Suspension cultures were established and the cell biomass was higher in the presence of NAA in comparison with 2,4-D. Culture medium supplemented with NAA (10.

Large-scale cultivation of Catharanthus roseus cells: production of ajmalicine in a 20-l airlift bioreactor.

Bioreactor systems have been developed for the production of ajmalicine, an alkaloid used in the treatment of hypertension. Cell cultures of Catharanthus roseus produced higher levels of ajmalicine (323 micrograms g-1 dry weight) in a production medium enriched with tryptophan. The cell cultures were grown in medium prepared in tap water and market sugar with a view to minimise the costs of production.