In vitro propagation, callus culture and phytochemical profiling of Manjishtha-A invaluable medicinal species of Leh-Ladakh

Ladakh, a high altitudinal Indian state situated in trans-Himalayan region, is well known for its extreme ecosphere, rugged topography and scarce vegetation with peculiar ability to biosynthesize a number of phytochemicals. Rubia cordifolia L. is one of such herb known for its phytochemical enriched roots. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, a great emphasize has been given towards the exploration of health beneficial plants. Keeping this in view, in present study, an in vitro regeneration protocol has been developed using nodal and leaf explant followed by a comparative determination of phytochemical profile of in vitro grown leaves (RUML) and roots RUMR. MS basal medium supplemented with 1.0 mu M, each of BAP and KN was found optimum for production of maximum number of shoots (42.33 +/- 1.43) from nodal explant and 8.33 +/- 0.88 in leaf explant. Further, 99.67 +/- 0.33 % rooting was achieved in 0.1 mg/l NAA supplemented MS media. GC-MS profiling of methanolic extract of RUML and RUMR revealed a total of 31 phytocompounds in both extracts with 8 compounds, commonly present in both extract describing the medical potential of both leaves as well as roots.

Automated summary

This study developed an in vitro regeneration protocol for Rubia cordifolia using nodal and leaf explants, and compared the phytochemical profiles of in vitro grown leaves (RUML) and roots (RUMR). The results showed that both leaves and roots contain medicinal compounds, with 8 compounds commonly present in both extracts.