• Dr.K.KALAIARASI
• R.Valarmathi

Medicinal and aromatic plants have been the basis for traditional medicine systems. Plant derived drugs are preferred over their synthetic counter parts for various reasons such as availability, efficacy, affordability and less or no side effects. These plant drugs (phytochemicals/secondary metabolites) are produced at varying amounts in different cells, tissue types and organelles within the plant. L. vestita is widely used in countryside as food and also for nutritional requirement. The plant has been reported to have high content (21.3%) of protein and significant amounts of total carotenoid and β-carotene. L. vestita is used as substitute in jaundice, anorexia, cough, dyspepsia, asthma, conjunctivitis, diabetes, otalgia, skin diseases, scabies, toothache, wound healing, for analgesic, as anti-inflammatory, anitipyretic, stimulant, expectorant, aperients, diaphoretic, anti-rheumatic and leaves possess insecticidal activity.In spite of the medicinal importance and nutritional value of L.vestita, and voluminous literature available on bioprospecting of this plant, no published reports are available till-date in the pertinent literature describing micropropagation or in vitro plant regeneration of this plant. In view of the medicinal importance of L.vestita and the abundant occurrence of secondary metabolites, the main goal of the present study was to develop a simple and reliable protocol for the rapid in vitro propagation of L.vestita, that would be used as not only an effective strategy for its germplasm conservation and multiplication, but also an alternative means for the year-round production of its saponins which have medicinal and pharmacological value. The present study focused to develop callus induction from leaf and stem explants of Leucas vestita Benth and to evaluate its anti-microbial activity. This paper reveals the conservation method of endangered species like Leucas vestita through plant tissue culture which has not been reported.

Leucas vestita, callus induction; endangered species

"In vitro Callus Induction and Antimicrobial activity of Leucas vestita Benth – an endangered species of Tamilnadu, India.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 5, page no.o193-o205, May-2023, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2305F23.pdf

"In vitro Callus Induction and Antimicrobial activity of Leucas vestita Benth – an endangered species of Tamilnadu, India.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 5, page no. ppo193-o205, May-2023, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2305F23.pdf