PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ELICITATION STUDIES IN Plumbago zeylanica, AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT

Abstract

Plumbagin a bioactive compound present in Plumbago zeylanica have several pharmacological properties like antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory etc. Due to its several pharmacological properties, this plant is being researched for high biomass production as well as achievement of maximum yield of bioactive compounds. This study examined the effect of abiotic elicitor on the production of plumbagin in Plumbago zeylanica. Elicitation is one of the approaches used for enhanced commercial production of secondary metabolite from plant cell culture system. In-vitro shoot of plumbago zeylanica cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentration and types of abiotic elicitor and the elicitor which are used are salicylic acid, sodium acetate and silver nitrate (50 µM). Shoot were investigated for plumbagin accumulation using HPLC and it was found that elicitor significantly stimulated higher plumbagin content than the control treatment. Phytochemical analysis was also done for elicited and non- elicited shoot culture. Result indicate that by using elicitor increase in plumbagin production as well as phytochemical occur in shoot culture of Plumbago zeylanica.