In vitro propagation and total alkaloid evaluation of Catharanthus roseus L

The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus L.) is an important medicinal plant from the family Apocynaceae produces over ninety terpenoid indole alkaloids. Among its alkaloids, ajmalicine and serpentin are used in the treatment of hypertension and vincristine and vinblastine applied in cancer chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various hormone treatments on callus growth and regeneration during tissue culture and to study the total alkaloid content of callus. The explants were sterilized and cultured in the MS media consisting of different concentrations and combinations of hormones. Traits such as fresh callus weight, color, vitrification and the quality of tissue callus were studied. Analysis of variance of data showed that comparisons were significantly different at 1% probability level. The comparison of callus weights in various hormone levels indicated that the 14.42mg/l concentration of 6-Benzyladenine (BAP) combined with 3mg/l concentration of 1-Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) resulted highest callus weight. The combination of 1mg/l of NAA and 1ml/l of BAP in foliar callus and NAA (2mg/l) with BAP (8mg/l) in single lateral buds, gave the highest number of plantlets regeneration. The highest amount of alkaloids in foliar callus was obtained when 1.5mg/l of BAP and 0.25mg/l of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D) were employed. The highest amount of alkaloids at plantlets was produced using NAA (3mg/l) and BAP (14.42mg/l). The results of the present study emphasized the potential of production of periwinkle active compounds through in vitro cultivation.