ABSTRACT
Plants have been an important source of medicine for thousands of years. Medicinal plants are
the most important source of life saving drugs. Even today, the WHO estimates that up to 80 per cent
of people still rely mainly on traditional remedies such as herbs for their medicines. Medicinal plants
are resources of new drugs. Approximately one quarter of prescribed drugs contain plant extracts or
active ingredients obtained from plant substances. Medicinal plants are the most important source of
life saving drugs for the majority of the world’s population. The biotechnological tools are important
to select, multiply and conserve the critical genotypes of medicinal plants. In-vitro regeneration holds
tremendous potential for the production of high-quality plant-based medicine. An efficient protocol
was developed for high frequency and rapid regeneration was achieved in Withania somnifera (L.)
Dunal. Invitro cultures were initiated by meristematic explants on M.S–B5 medium with various
growth hormones individually as well as combinations. Highest shoot multiplication rates were
observed when explants grown in the medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l of BAP. M.S–B5 medium
fortified with 1.0 mg/l BAP was found suitable for optimum growth and elongation of shoots. The best
rooting response were observed when the medium containing 1.0 mg/l of IBA. The rooted plantlets
were successfully established in soil.
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