The present paper deals with the phytochemical screening of therapeutic importance fromStrychnos potatorumL.f., an important medicinal plant. This study involves the preliminary screening, quantitative determination and the qualitative thin layer chromatographic separation of secondary metabolites from the root, stem bark and seeds (collected and market) ofS.potatorum. Further, HPLC alkaloid profile of the seed has been studied. The generated data has provided the basis for its wide use as the therapeutant both in the traditional and folk medicines.

No abstract

An efficient protocol was established for in vitro shoot multiplication from shoot tip explant of Trichosanthes cucumerina L. var. cucumerina on semisolid MS basal medium supplemented with BA. NAA in the culture medium along with BA promoted higher number of shoot multiplication than BA alone. The rate of shoot multiplication was maximum 12.00 ± 0.70 after four weeks of culture on MS basal medium supplemented with BA 1.0 mg/l + NAA 0.1 mg/l. The elongated shoots rooted within seven -eight days in half strength of MS basal salts supplemented 1.0 mg/l IBA and 3% (w/v) sucrose. About 90% of the rooted plantlets were acclimatized and transferred to the greenhouse and successfully transferred to the field with 80% survival rate. The histological study shows that the organogenesis occurs directly, without callus formation on epidermal and sub epidermal layer of the explants. Adventitious shoots were characterized by the development of shoots apical meristem and leaf primordial.

Bhat S, Bhandary MJ, Rajanna L. 2014. Plant diversity in the homegardens of Karwar, Karnataka,. A study was conducted in 50 selected home gardens of Karwar, Karnataka, India to document their floristic diversity and composition with regard to life forms and uses. As many as 210 species of flowering plants belonging to 69 families were recorded. Euphorbiaceae (13species), Apocynaceae (11spp.), Cucurbitaceae (10 spp.) and Fabaceae (10 spp.) are the predominant families. Shrubs are the dominant life forms (73 spp.) followed by trees (61 spp.), herbs (42 spp.) and climbers (24 spp.). Areca palm (Areca catechu), coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), mango tree (Mangifera indica), banana (Musa paradisiaca), shoe flower (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) are the most common plants occurring in all of the 50 studied gardens. 38% of the plant species are grown mainly for ornamental and aesthetic purposes while 33% of the species are used for obtaining food products like fruits and vegetables and 22% of the plants are mainly used for medicinal purposes. The predominance of ornamental species makes the home gardens of Karwar different from those occurring in other regions in which mostly food plants form the major component.