Somatic embryogenesis, regeneration and in vitro production of glycyrrhizic acid from root cultures of Taverniera cuneifolia (Roth) Arn

• Published in: In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Plant 2011-08, Vol.47 (4), p.525-535
• Main Authors: Awad, Vitthal, Shirke, Rohit, Mukherjee, Sourav, Khadke, Suresh, Pawar, Pankaj, Meti, Nilambika, Harsulkar, Abhay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abrus precatorius; active ingredients; Ayurvedic medicine; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Cultured cells; Developmental Biology; Embryonic cells; Embryonic growth stage; Embryos; Flowers & plants; Germination; Glycyrrhiza glabra; glycyrrhizin; in vitro regeneration; Life Sciences; Liquids; medicinal properties; MOLECULAR FARMING/METABOLIC ENGINEERING/SECONDARY METABOLISM; Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant cells; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant roots; Plant Sciences; Plant Tissue Culture; Plants; Seeds; shoots; Somatic embryogenesis; Somatic embryos; Sucrose; Taverniera; Thin layer chromatography; tissue culture
• ISSN: 1054-5476; 1475-2689
• DOI: 10.1007/s11627-011-9356-5

Taverniera cuneifolia (Roth) Arn. or Indian licorice is considered to be a substitute for Glycyrrhiza glabra L. owing to an equivalent content of glycyrrhizic acid (GA). GA recognized as the main active ingredient of T. cuneifolia, GA imparts several medicinal properties to these plants. However, research on this plant is scanty with no published record on tissue culture studies. Present study demonstrates a method for (1) induction and successful development of somatic embryos from the root culture, (2) regeneration of plants, and (3) GA production by root cultures of T. cuneifolia. Shoot initiation frequency of cultured roots ranged from 52.57% to 97.71%. Plant regeneration frequency (germination) from somatic embryos was 88.66% in 1/4-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2% sucrose, as against 68% in half 1/2-strength MS containing 2% sucrose. Glycyrrhizic acid of 1.32 mg/gm of dry weight was obtained in full-strength MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, through high-performance thin layer chromatography analysis with standard GA in root cultures. The present study provides an efficient method for the mass production of plants from a single mother plant as well as the potential root culture system to study the GA production pathways in T. cuneifolia.