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The Hemidesmus indicus is used to cure leprosy, leucoderma, itching, skin disease, asthma, bronchitis, leucorrhoea, dysentery, piles, syphilis, and paralysis. The present study was aimed to investigate the phytochemical and antibacterial activity of Hemidesmus indicus root. The root extracts of Hemidesmus indicus were prepared using different solvents like petroleum ether, ethanol and distilled water. The phytochemical screening of the root extracts was performed. The presence of alkaloids, glycosides, carbohydrates, steroids, polyphenol, saponins and terpenoids were indicated by the test conducted. The antibacterial activity of the ethanol and aqueous extract of Hemidesmus indicus root was tested by agar diffusion method. Zones of Inhibition produced by both extract in a dose of 100 and 200 mg/ml against selected strains was measured and compared with those of standard drug ciprofloxacin (10 μg/ml). Both extract recorded significant activity against all the test bacteria. The highest zones of growth inhibition were exhibited by ethanol extract against all the microorganisms compared to be aqueous extract.

Medicinal plants are used as traditional medicines throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide new remedies to mankind. Plants are one of the richest sources of secondary metabolites. The roots of Hemidesmus indicus served as the remedy for leprosy, syphilis, leucoderma, asthma, dysentery, fever and blood, kidney and urinary diseases. The aim of the present study was to determine the quantity of lupeol present in callus and wild plant extract of Hemidesmus indicus. The root callus was initiated on MS medium fortified with varied concentrations and combination of different auxins like, 2-4 Dichloro acetic acids (2-4D), napthalene acetic acid (NAA) and cytokinin like, kinetin (Kn)  in 250 ml culture flasks. The content of lupeol in callus and root extracts was analyzed by HPLC technique. The highest percentage of callus induction (88.00 %) was observed in MS medium (C7) containing 1.0 mg/l NAA with highest callus growth in terms of fresh weight (946.48±6.6) which resulted in soft friable callus. The callus produced by C7 was used selected for further study. The HPLC study revealed that the quantity of lupeol present in callus extract was more compared to the wild plant extract of Hemidesmus indicus.

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Hemidesmus indicus belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae, and is one of the rare medicinal and epidermis, which gave a zone of inhibition measuring 9.8 mm.