Climate change, alien species, and use of land for intensive farming and development are causing severe threat to the plant genetic diversity worldwide. Hence, conservation of biodiversity is considered fundamental and also provides the livelihoods to millions of people worldwide. Medicinal plants play a key role in the treatment of a number of diseases, and they are only the source of medicine for majority of people in the developing world. The tropical regions of the world supply the bulk of current global demand for "natural medicine," albeit with increasing threat to populations in the world and its genetic diversity. India is a major center of origin and diversity of crop and medicinal plants. India poses out 20,000 species of higher plants, one third of it being endemic and 500 species are categorized to have medicinal value. The Western Ghats is one of the major repositories of medicinal plants. It harbors around 4,000 species of higher plants of which 450 species are threatened. Currently, the number of species added to the red list category in this region is increasing, and the valuable genetic resources are being lost at a rapid rate. Demand for medicinal plants is increasing, and this leads to unscrupulous collection from the wild and adulteration of supplies. Providing high-quality planting material for sustainable use and thereby saving the genetic diversity of plants in the wild is important. During the last 25 years of intensive research, Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute has developed in vitro protocol for rapid regeneration and establishment of about 40 medicinally important rare and threatened plants of Western Ghats.In situ conservation alone would not be effective in safeguarding these important species. Thus, utilizing the biotechnoligical approach to complement ex situ conservation program is becoming vital. Propagating biotechnology tools in plant conservation program is a prerequisite to succeed in sustainable use and to complement the existing ex situ measures. In addition to propagation, storage of these valuable genetic resources is equally important. In vitro slow growth of 35 species and cryopreservation using embryo/meristem/seed in 20 different species of rare medicinal plants of this region is accomplished. Plants developed in vitro of ten medicinal plants, which have restricted distribution, were reintroduced in the natural habitat as well.

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Plants have been used as traditional medicine for several thousands of years. Herbal medicine is still a mainstay of about 70-80% of the world’s population as they are easily available source for healthcare purposes in rural and tribal areas. India being the largest producer of medicinal plants it is correctly known as “Botanical garden of the world”. The plant Citrus maxima (J. Burm.) Merr. is a widely distributed indigenous plants found in Indian subcontinent. Which is been widely used. The present study was aimed to review the ethanobotanical properties, pharmacognostic, phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Citrus maxima. The various parts of this plant are widely used by different tribal communities. The leaves of plant are used in Epilepsy, chorea, Convulsive cough and also in the treatment of hemorrhage disease. Oil from fresh leaves posses anti dermatophytic activity and Fungicidal activity. Flower are Used as sedative in nervous affection. Fruits acts as cardiotonic and are used in Leprosy, Asthma, Cough, hiccough, mental aberration, Epilepsy. Rind are Antiasthmatic, sedative in nervous affection, Brain tonic and Useful in vomiting, griping of abdomen, diarrhea, Headache and eye troubles. Root and Bark: Antimicrobial activity. Following various claims for cure of numerous diseases, efforts have been made by researchers to verify the efficacy of the plant through scientific biological screening. A scrutiny of literature reveals some notable pharmacological activities of the plant such as activity on CNS, anti diabetic and cholesterol reducing property, analgesic, anti inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidative property, cytotoxic activity, and many more medicinal values.

Conservation of Mahonia leschenaultii was achieved through multiple axillary shoot formation in single node cultures, in vitro and ex vitro rooting of the shoots, and successful reintroduction and establishment of the rooted plants in the forests of Palani hills in Southern India. A preliminary experiment on the culture of young nodal explants (1.0-1.5 cm) from field-grown plants in different basal nutrient media revealed high frequency bud beak in Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) medium followed by Woody Plant medium and Murashige Skoog medium in 4 weeks. Subsequent culture of both shoot tips (0.5-0.8 cm) and nodes for 6 weeks in SH medium supplemented with various concentration of cytokinins resulted in optimal formation of 3.6 shoots in 80% of the nodes against 1.35 shoots in 75% of the shoot tips in the presence of 2.0 and 1.0 mg/l benzyl adenine (BA), respectively. Invariably, the resident apical and axillary meristems grew into a single shoot (1.0-1.8 cm) in 1-2 weeks followed by the characteristic differentiation of additional buds from its base. A synergistic combination of 1.0 mg/l BA and 0.02 mg/l indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) induced the maximum number (5.9) of axillary shoot formation which were relatively high (75%) when the explant was collected during May-June and the fifth nodes from the top of the growing shoots were used. Repeated subculture of the nodes from shoot cultures at 5-6 week intervals in medium supplemented with reduced concentrations of the growth regulators (0.5 mg/l BA, 0.01 mg/l IAA) through at least 10 passages enabled consistent production of 6-7 shoots per node at 92% success rate without loss of vigour, growth and morphological abnormalities. Shoots of 3-6 cm were rooted in vitro in the presence of 1.0 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and hardening in the mist house at 76-78% and these rooted plants established in a potting medium of river sand and top soil (1:1) under constant mist irrigation. The plants reared in the nursery for 5-8 weeks were successfully reintroduced into the natural forest segment of the Institute's campus (MSL 200 m) at Palode and Vattakanal shola forests of Palani hills (MSL 2500 m) with establishment frequencies of 78.8 and 90.6, respectively, after 18 months. Growth characteristics of the plants (height, number of leaves and branches) reintroduced into native habitat at Vattakanal were better than those at Palode. Genetic fidelity of the 12-month old plants established in the nursery/field was confirmed by analysis of amplified products of genomic DNA obtained with random primers.

Targeting the discovery of novel natural products, the roots of Dalbergia spinosa Roxb has yielded a new isoflavone apioglycoside, 5-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3′,4′-methylenedioxy-7-[(6- O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl) oxy]isoflavone (dalspinin-7- O-β-D-[apiofuranosyl (1→6)] glucopyranoside) (1), together with the known isoflavones, dalspinin (2), dalspinosin (3) and caviunin (4). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectral and chemical evidence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of an apioglucoside of dalspinin in Nature.