The essential oil extracted from rhizome and leaf of Curcuma angustifolia Roxb. (Zingiberaceae) was characterised by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 32 and 35 identified constituents, comprising 92.6% and 92% of total leaf and rhizome oil, respectively. Curzerenone (33.2%), 14-hydroxy-δ-cadinene (18.6%) and γ-eudesmol acetate (7.3%) were the main components in leaf oil. In rhizome oil, curzerenone (72.6%), camphor (3.3%) and germacrone (3.3%) were found to be the major constituents. Antioxidant capacities of oil were assessed by various methods, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and reducing power ability (RPA). Based on the results, the leaf oil showed more antioxidant potential as compared to rhizome oil and reference standards (ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)). Thus, the leaf essential oil of C. angustifolia can be used as an alternative source of natural antioxidant.

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A procedure for rapid in vitro propagation of the aromatic and medicinal plant Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R.Br. (Family Asclepiadaceae) from nodal explants is described. The highest shoot multiplication rate of 8.2 ± 0.4 shoots/explant with a 95% frequency was achieved in S weeks culture period on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1.15 μM kinetin and 0.054 μM α-naphthaleneacetic acid. Excised shoots were rooted on the same basal medium supplemented with 1.15 μM kinetin and 7.35 μM indole-3-butyric acid. Shoots derived from subcultures exhibited better rooting response than those from primary cultures. After a hardening phase of 2 weeks, there was a 70% transplantation success in the field.