De novo in vitro shoot morphogenesis from shoot tip-induced callus cultures of Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R.Br. ex Sm

Tasiu Isah

doi:10.1186/s40659-019-0211-1

Abstract

BackgroundGymnema sylvestre is a medicinal woody perennial vine known for its sweetening properties and anti-diabetic therapeutic uses in the modern and traditional medicines. Its over-exploitation for the therapeutic uses and to meet the demand of pharmaceutical industry in raw materials supply for the production of anti-diabetic drugs has led to considerable decline in its natural population.ResultsAn efficient system of shoot bud sprouting from nodal segment explants and indirect plant regeneration from apical meristem-induced callus cultures of G. sylvestre have been developed on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium amended with concentrations of cytokinins. Of the three growth regulators tested, N6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) was the most efficient and 2.0 mg L−1 gave the best shoot formation efficiency. This was followed by thidiazuron (TDZ) and kinetin (Kin) but, most of the TDZ-induced micro shoots showed stunted growth. Multiple shoot formation was observed on medium amended with BAP or TDZ at higher concentrations. The produced micro shoots were rooted on half strength MS medium amended with auxins and rooted plantlets acclimatized with 87% survival of the regenerates.ConclusionsThe developed regeneration system can be exploited for genetic transformation studies, particularly when aimed at producing its high yielding cell lines for the anti-diabetic phytochemicals. It also offers opportunities for exploring the expression of totipotency in the anti-diabetic perennial vine.

Highlights

Gymnema sylvestre is a medicinal woody perennial vine known for its sweetening properties and antidiabetic therapeutic uses in the modern and traditional medicines
Subsequent subculture of the callus onto fresh solid medium added with the same plant growth regulators (PGRs) concentration resulted in its slow growth accompanied with darkening of the yellowish-brown calli and increased compactness
The response of the callus cultures to shoot morphogenesis was dependent on PGRs type and concentration amended into the cultivation medium (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Gymnema sylvestre is a medicinal woody perennial vine known for its sweetening properties and antidiabetic therapeutic uses in the modern and traditional medicines. The increase in number of diabetic patients around the globe has led to exploitation of natural plant sources for its remedy among which Gymnema sylvestre is highly exploited for the therapeutic use. In vitro clonal propagation offers rapid and efficient strategy for the production of disease-free clones en masse and for the conservation of natural population [7, 8]. It offer opportunities for the large-scale production and isolation of bioactive molecules produced. Developing the in vitro clonal propagation strategy has application in the large-scale production of G. sylvestre for its clones of therapeutic uses such as in the treatment of diabetes, the sweetening properties, and other pharmaceutical uses. Factors that influence in vitro clonal propagation efficiency of the G. sylvestre includes seedling age, explant, basal medium, plant growth regulators (PGRs) types and concentrations, organic supplements, antioxidants added into the culture medium and physiological state of explants [6]

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