In vitro embryo culture and antimicrobial activity of Clitoria ternatea L.

Abstract

Background: Clitoria ternatea L. is an important rare medicinal plant species with memory‑enhancing ability used as crude drugs in many ayurvedic medicines. Objective: The objectives were as follows: A. To develop a protocol for rapid clonal propagation of the important medicinal climber, C. ternatea L., through in vitro tissue culture of embryo explants through callogenesis and organogenesis, and B. Antibacterial study of ethanolic extract of in vitro raised plant and callus mass against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC189), Bacillus subtilis (MTCC8), Escherichia coli (MTCC1), and Klebsiella pneumonia (MTCC3883), respectively. Materials and Methods: Explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of 6‑benzylamino purine (BAP), (2,4‑dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4‑D), and a‑naphthalene acetic acid (NAA)for shoot and root induction. The disc diffusion method was adopted for antimicrobial study of the plant extract. Results: The sub‑cultured of callus on MS basal medium supplemented with BAP (2.5 mg/l) and NAA (0.5 mg/l) showed highest rate of shoot multiplication. In vitro shoots were rooted on to the MS basal medium supplemented with NAA (0.5 mg/l). The sub‑culture of callus on MS basal medium supplemented with BAP (1 mg/l) and NAA (0.5 mg/l) showed highest rate of root multiplication from callus. The antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extracts of in vitro grown products of C. ternatea L. was found to have antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins,carbohydrates, and steroids in the in vitro grown products of C. ternatea L. Conclusion: An efficient protocol was developed for successful micropropagation and multiple plant regeneration of an important medicinal plant C. ternatea L. It is a widely used in ayurvedic medicine because of its multi‑potent bioactive molecules and significant antibacterial properties. Key words: Antibacterial activity, Clitoria ternatea L., ethanolic extracts, growth regulator, in vitro multiplication, phytochemicals