Somatic embryogenesis, regeneration and in vitro production of glycyrrhizic acid from root cultures of Taverniera cuneifolia (Roth) Arn.

Abstract

Taverniera cuneifolia (Roth) Arn. or Indian licorice is considered to be a substitute for Glycyrrhiza glabra L. owing to an equivalent content of glycyrrhizic acid (GA). GA recognized as the main active ingredient of T. cuneifolia, GA imparts several medicinal properties to these plants. However, research on this plant is scanty with no published record on tissue culture studies. Present study demonstrates a method for (1) induction and successful development of somatic embryos from the root culture, (2) regeneration of plants, and (3) GA production by root cultures of T. cuneifolia. Shoot initiation frequency of cultured roots ranged from 52.57% to 97.71%. Plant regeneration frequency (germination) from somatic embryos was 88.66% in 1/4-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2% sucrose, as against 68% in half 1/2-strength MS containing 2% sucrose. Glycyrrhizic acid of 1.32 mg/gm of dry weight was obtained in fullstrength MS medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, through high-performance thin layer chromatography analysis with standard GA in root cultures. The present study provides an efficient method for the mass production of plants from a single mother plant as well as the potential root culture system to study the GA production pathways in T. cuneifolia.

Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) from Taverniera cuneifolia (Roth) Arn.: In vitro germination and somatic embryogenesis via tissue culture studies

“…However, there was no supplement of auxins and cytokinins provided during the current study yet, authors could achieve maximum growth of callus and plant regeneration in MS Medium full strength in Hormone independent study (Awad et al, 2011) explains the possibility of natural Agrobacterium rhizogenes infection, which allows the culture to produce its own auxin supplement. 3 percent sucrose grew well and produced somatic embryos in noticeable size, shape, and appearance even in a semi solid medium of 1/4th strength of MS, as shown by Awad et al (2011) to be speci ic, cultures in full strength of MS medium tended to induce profuse callus growth while 1 4 strength MS had a higher germination rate, which resulted in a higher yield of somatic embryos and a higher yield of hardened plants.…”

“…The level of sucrose also supports the maintenance of osmotic potential and conservation of water in cells (Bhatia et al, 2015). Awad et al (2011) explains their study as one of the irst which reports regeneration of entire plants using root. Yet again, this is due to the plasticity of post-embryonic development in plants, which sustains the ability to (re)generate whole new organs such as roots, leaves or lowers, during life cycle (Sena, 2014).…”

“…Both split and undamaged seeds were infected in glass tubes (22 mm150 mm) containing 25 ml of semi-solid MS medium including agar (0.8 percent) as a gelling agent, and the seeds were kept at 252 • C for 16/8 hours under cool white luorescent light. The work's overall pipeline is represented in Figure 1 of Awad et al (2011).…”

“…Licorice, which is made from the roots of Glycyrrhiza plant species, has been used for over 4000 years. There are about 30 species, six of which yield the delicious saponin glycyrrhizic acid (GA) (16 percent GA), and they are commonly used in Asia countries (Tian et al, 2008), mainly imported from Pakistan and Afghanistan (Awad et al, 2011). On contrary to the use of Glycyrrhiza species, the roots of Taverniera cuneifolia, contains 13% of glycyrrhizic acid (GA), equally potent in producing GA is less likely explored but used as substitute for G. glabra.…”