Anwar Shahzad

• PhD, FBS, FDPB-IASR
• Professor (Full) at Aligarh Muslim University

Decalepis arayapathra is an important medicinal plant known for several medicinal values, however, due to overharvesting, habitat destruction, and its limited geographical distribution, D. arayapathra faces severe threats of extinction. A synthetic seed protocol was developed for this plant, representing a novel approach in its propagation and cons...

Atropa acuminata is an endangered and endemic Himalayan herb of prime importance in pharmaceutical companies. The chemical ingredients of A. acuminata and other related plants of the genus are present in many over-the-counter life saving drugs. The species is facing a severe habitat loss and overharvesting in its natural habitat. To address its pro...

Withanolides are naturally occurring steroidal lactones found in certain species of the Withania genus, especially Withania somnifera (commonly known as Ashwagandha). These compounds have gained considerable attention due to their wide range of therapeutic properties and potential applications in modern medicine. To meet the rapidly growing demand...

Plants are capable of defending themselves against various biotic and abiotic stressors through means of biochemical, physical, and mechanical strategies. However, the selection of defense relies basically on the type of stress and stressors. In the case of biotic stressors, namely, insects and microbial pathogens, biochemical mechanisms, along wit...

The green synthesis of AgNPs from the calli extract of Centella asiatica was confirmed by the detailed analysis of UVÀVis spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) which revealed the size, shape, chemical composit...

GC-MS

Hemidesmus indicus L. R. Br. is a commonly traded ethnomedicinal plant, and a method has been developed to produce somatic embryos (SEs) from calli grown from the leaves of the plant. With a maximum callus induc�tion frequency of 91.66 %, pink-red friable proembryogenic calli were generated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) and 5.0 mM 2, 4-dichlorophenox...

The current work specifies an effort to conserve the highly endangered plant Decalepis salicifolia by utilizing encapsulation technology for high plantlet recovery, short-term storage, and conservation. In order to determine the best culture conditions for maximizing the ability of synseeds to develop into complete plantlets, nodal segments (NS) we...

This volume presents information about protocols for micropropagation of more than 40 species of medicinal plants. The contents combine knowledge about the scientific principles of micropropagation with state of the art updates in tissue culture techniques presented by plant scientists. The readers will learn about techniques required to grow plant...

This volume presents information about protocols for micropropagation of more than 40 species of medicinal plants. The contents combine knowledge about the scientific principles of micropropagation with state of the art updates in tissue culture techniques presented by plant scientists. The readers will learn about techniques required to grow plant...

The quorum sensing mechanism relies on the detection and response to chemical signals, termed autoinducers, which regulate the synthesis of virulence factors including toxins, enzymes, and biofilms. Emerging therapeutic strategies for infection control encompass approaches that attenuate quorum-sensing systems. In this study, we evaluated the antib...

One of the major limiting factors for the social and economic progress of a country is the energy. One of the biggest issues most emerging countries encounter is this crucial component. With the rapid increase in population, the energy demand is increasing linearly and is the main reason of conflicts between many nations. At present bioenergy crops...

Celastrus paniculatus (Willd.) is a rare woody climbing shrub with high medicinal value used in primary healthcare system and herbal drug formulation as its various parts have immense medicinal properties. The current study focuses to design a refined methodology for the micropropagation of C. paniculatus using young nodal segment explants. A relia...

The emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) in bacterial pathogens is a serious public health concern. A significant therapeutic target for MDR infections is the quorum sensing‐regulated bacterial pathogenicity. Determining the anti‐quorum sensing abilities of certain medicinal plants against bacterial pathogens as well as the in‐silico interaction...

This reference is a timely compilation of studies of genome size and genetic stability of regenerated plants. It presents 13 book chapters that cover recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing, the use of molecular markers to analyze somaclonal variation in tissue culture, and genetic stability assessment in various plant species, inclu...

Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal is used in traditional medicine to treat diseases and has numerous pharmacological properties due to its biological compounds. The plant is a subshrub native to Asia, especially the tropical and temperate regions of western Asia. Its medicinal effects derive from its biological components, which are linked to human...

The present report describes a reliable and eco-friendly biosynthetic method of production and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the aqueous stem-callus extract of C. asiatica demonstrating significant antibacterial activity. The biosynthesis of colloidal form of AgNPs was monitored by UV-Visible spectroscopy. The shape and size...

Bambusa nutans Wall. is a clump-forming, evergreen bamboo species that is most often found in Southeast Asian forests. Comparative activities of nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS) and peroxidase (POX) as well as expression of peroxidase isozymes during somatic embryogenesis (SE) were investigated in the segregated embryogenic callus...

Two filamentous endophytic ascomycete fungi with different phenotypes were isolated and characterized from the vegetative tissue of Rheum spiciforme, a threatened and endemic trans-Himalayan medicinal herb. The visible morphological characteristics and microscopic features allowed the recognition of the endophytes as Fusarium proliferatum and Aureo...

Bamboo, a fast growing plant, is a valuable and renewable bioresource with great socioeconomic value. Sustainable production is needed to combat industrial overexploitation by the paper, pulp, and fuel industries, as well as improper resource management that has widened the gap between supply and demand. Biotechnology applications, such as in vitro...

Centella asiatica L., commonly known as Gotu kola, Indian pennywort, and Asiatic pennyworts, is an herbaceous perennial plant that belongs to the family Apiaceae and has long been used in the traditional medicine system. The plant is known to produce a wide range of active metabolites such as triterpenoids including asiatic acid, asiaticoside, brah...

Extracts of Centella asiatica leaves (LEs), and in-vitro leaf-calli (CEs), were investigated for antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-quorum sensing activities. Ethyl acetate extracts from leaves (EALE), leaf-calli (EACE), methanolic extracts from leaves (MELE), and leaf-calli (MECE) showed antibacterial activity; the minimum inhibitory concentrati...

Casuarina equisetifolia is an important tree of the forest, cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, providing fuelwood, land reclamation, dune stabilization, paper production, and nitrogen fixation. We have developed a systematic in vitro propagation protocol in C. equisetifolia using nodal segments (NS). Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium aug...

Agriculture is an important sector that plays an important role in providing food to both humans and animals. In addition, this sector plays an important role in the world economy. Changes in climatic conditions and biotic and abiotic stresses cause significant damage to agricultural production around the world. Therefore, the development of sustai...

Agriculture is an important sector that plays an important role in providing food toboth humans and animals. In addition, this sector plays an important role in the world economy.Changes in climatic conditions and biotic and abiotic stresses cause significant damage to agriculturalproduction around the world. Therefore, the development of sustainab...

Centella asiatica is an important medicinal herb and being utilized traditionally for wound healing, asthma, cough etc. Several studies have emphasized the phytocompounds obtained such as Asiatic acid, and ma-decosside have potential to become therapeutic alternatives against various kinds of diseases. The plant has shown anticancer activities thro...

The steno-endemic species from the genus Decalepis are facing a high level of threat due to destructive wild harvesting. The genus claimed its paramount importance to mankind due to its unique tuberous root characteristics and exhibits a wide range of biological and medicinal properties, and is used in pharmaceutical and food industries. Plants of...

Plants are the key source of value-added bioactive compounds of medicinal repute. Extended usage of these secondary metabolites (SM) in several industrial areas has necessitated researches on growing their production by exploiting various plant tissue culture (PTC) approaches. PTC technologies have proved to be efficient implements for both studyin...

Diplocyclos palmatus (L.) C. Jeffrey, commonly referred to as “Shivalingi” or “Lollipop climber” is a valuable medicinal plant with a climbing growth habit used in traditional medicine. It is reputed to have antiarthritic, anti-diabetic properties and to be useful in various skin and reproductive problems. Overexploitation of wild plants and low se...

Bamboos belonging to the family Poaceae are one of the most versatile, natural, and renewable resources among the plant kingdom. Bamboos are generally found in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. They play an important role in the bioenergy and the bioeconomy of many Asian countries. Although bamboos are early maturing and fast-growing pla...

Bamboo is the multifunctional and fastest-growing plant on Earth. Bamboo has played a crucial role in the daily life of millions of people in tropical countries, where it provides environmental, social and economic benefits. Bamboo belongs to the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Today, the native bamboo distributes mainly in Asia...

A breakthrough in plant systematics began to develop at the end of the nineteenth century, since the development of molecular systematics. This method is considered to contribute to supporting the phylogenetic framework in the plant world. Molecular studies are expected to strengthen existing systematics, not replace them. Until the late 1980s, the...

The abiotic stress (salt, drought, and light) dangers coupled with the virus infection (Bamboo mosaic virus) have been a challenge in the growth and development of the bamboo. Transgenic studies of bamboo have revealed that the abiotic stress often caused by salt, drought, and the high light intensity challenge could be avoided by introducing abiot...

Rheum spiciforme Royle is a high value medicinal herb restricted to NW Himalayas. The medicinal properties of Rheum include anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-atherosclerotic, anti-proliferative, hepatoprotective, and immuno-enhancing. The species is threatened and endemic which demands its conservation. I...

“Green gold” or “Poor Man’s Timber” are commonly used terms for bamboo that is a valuable and renewable resource of the world, and has always been an elemental part of human beings in terms of social and economic value. Bamboo is considered a multipurpose plant and has a prolonged history as an adaptable and extensively used renewable resource in c...

Hildegardia populifolia (Roxb.) Schott & Endl. is a critically endangered medicinal tree species which also provide high-quality natural fibers. The present study was focused to develop reliable micropropagation protocol where nodal segment explants were inoculated on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) and Woody Plant Medium (WPM) augmented with vario...

Embryogenic synseeds were prepared in Albizia lebbeck by encapsulating cotyledon stage somatic embryos derived from in vitro maintained embryogenic cultures in different types of Ca-alginate beads. The germination rate of somatic embryos was affected significantly by the bead type, matrix composition and germination substrate. A matrix made of 3% N...

Advancement in encapsulation technique has provided excellent opportunity for the improvement of crops, trees, and several other plant species. The application of encapsulation technology in the field of agriculture opens new vistas for plant propagation, conservation, and delivery of germplasm. The synthetic seed was a promising application in the...

With increasing profound knowledge of biochemical, physiological and molecular responses that are activated by salt stresses, it has now become clear that many of these responses follow the same route of protective mechanism. The mechanism of protection that includes a wide range of responses against salt stress could be achieved by biochemical pat...

A number of plant drugs are used in different medical conditions, mainly by the practitioners of traditional medicines. Some of the plants are used as a whole, but more often their parts including leaves, stems, roots, barks, bulbs, corms, seeds, and flowers are used to prepare different dosage forms intended to be used therapeutically. They contai...

Non-embryogenic, synthetic seeds were formed by encapsulating the nodal segments (NS) of Hemidesmus indicus R. Br. in calcium alginate hydrogel comprising of MS basal medium for short-term conservation. A 3% sodium aliginate (SA) with 100 mM CaCl2 was found most suitable for the preparation of isodiametrical beads. Highest shoot regrowth (84.50 ± 0...

Decalepis salicifolia (Bedd. ex Hook.f.) Venter is a new source of the commercially important flavor compound 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (2H4MB), a structural isomer of vanillin, with high pharmacological value and used as a flavoring agent at industrial level for making soft drink and bakery products. The natural availability of this high-val...

Peltophorum pterocarpum is a deciduous tree, grown in a tropical regions as ornamental tree, particularly in India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Florida and Hawii in United States. It has also been used in traditional medicines such as in muscles pain, sores etc. Standardization of protocol for the micro- propagation of Peltophorum pterocarpum using cotyl...

Santalum album L. is a commercially important tree that yields essential oil of high medicinal value. Regeneration research through organogenesis and embryogenesis has been documented but no report depicts comparative ontogeny of directly differentiating shoot buds (SB) and somatic embryos (SE). In the present study aseptic seedling derived hypocot...

The present study describes the first attempt of exploiting encapsulation technology for high plantlet recovery, short-term storage and conservation of Gymnema sylvestre—an antidiabetic liana. Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) pretreated nodal segments (NS) were encapsulated in sodium alginate (Na2-alginate) matrix and the optimal culture conditions were...

Thidiazuron (N-phenyl-N'-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea; TDZ) is an artificial plant growth regulator that is widely used in plant tissue culture. Due to its dynamic role in plant tissue culture, it has gained ample attention for several workers since the past decades. Wide array of TDZ-influenced physiological responses are reported in different medici...

To ensure replenishment, a refine protocol for micropropagation of Decalepis salicifolia (Bedd. ex Hook.f.) Venter a critically endangered and endemic medicinal plant was developed using mature nodal explants. A high frequency shoot regeneration system was obtained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium comprised of 6- benzyladenine (BA) (5.0 µM) + α-n...

Decalepis arayalpathra popularly used as an effective remedy for peptic ulcer, gastric antisecretory and cancer-like afflictions with an immunomodulatory property. This study was conducted to unravel the chemical composition of the tuberous root and bioactivities of the compounds in the fractions of antioxidant activity by using large-scale multi-t...

Objective: To investigate the conversion potential of alginate encapsulated nodes of Glycyrrhiza glabra with phyto-chemical evaluation of root extract of field transferred plants. Methods: The excised axenic nodal segments were encapsulated in alginate matrix planted on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium with different supplementation and formulatio...

Key message The article describes refined regeneration process in Ceratonia siliqua using different plant growth regulators along with antioxidant, SEM and IRGA analysis to understand the developmental behaviour of the plantlets. Abstract The present study describes a simplified seed germination process in Ceratonia siliqua L. and gives a comparat...

The proposed work describes a protocol for high-frequency in vitro regeneration through nodal segments and shoots tips in Decalepsis arayalpathra, a critically endangered medicinal liana of the Western Ghats. Nodal segments were more responsive than shoot tips in terms of shoot proliferation. Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) basal medium supplemented wit...

Plant tissue culture is a significant contribution in micropropagation of ornamental and forest trees, production of pharmaceutically interesting compounds and plant breeding for improved nutritional value of staple crop plants as well as in the improvement of tree species. Plant tissue culture can provide high-quality planting material for the fru...

In 1902 Gottlieb Haberlandt proposed the idea to culture individual plant cells on artificial nutrient medium. Although he failed to culture them due to poor choice of experimental materials and inadequate nutrient supply, he made several valuable predictions about the nutrients’ requirement for in vitro culture conditions, which could possibly ind...

Objective: The leaves of Cassia angustifolia Vahl. are employed for the treatment of several human diseases. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine the phytocomponents present in the methanolic extract of the leaves by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) Methods: The collected leaf samples were dried and extracted in meth...

Encapsulation technology has recently revolutionized the production and conservation programme of elite and threatened germplasm throughout the globe. This technology has made the exchange programme possible between different laboratories at an ease. Synthetic seed production not only scaled up extensive and commercial production of plants but also...

Since the time immemorial, plants and plant parts thereof have been used as medicinal sources to cure various ailments and diseases. Recent era witnessed a great loss of this natural wealth because of its excessive use and overexploitation. Thus, it is the need of an hour to take immediate and possible measures for conserving such a great wealth. W...

Woody climbers or lianas are one of the important assets of nature upon which rely many folk and traditional systems of medicine. The increasing need and demand with growing population and thoughtless utilisation of natural products, so far, have resulted into a dwindling population of many plant species. In the present scenario, increasing health...

The root of plant tissue culture began with the discovery of cell and further proceeded by cell theory proposed by Schleiden (a botanist) and Schwann (a zoologist) in 1838–1839. They suggested that cell is a structural and functional unit of all living organisms. They envisioned that cell has the ability to develop into a whole plant. This visualis...

The formation of bioactive compounds in plants, in response to the stress caused by physical factors (drought, flood, salinity, alkalinity, radiation, etc.) or wounding caused by insect, pest and microbes, is a natural process. The primary role of accumulated products is the protection of plants from the natural and induced stress, and they play a...

India is endowed with a rich wealth of medicinal plants which are widely used by all sections of people either directly as folk medicines or indirectly in the pharmaceutical preparations. Among them climbing plants are one of the most interesting groups as, apart from being medicinally important, they form an important structural component and cont...

Nowadays, medicines derived from plants have attained worldwide popularity because they have no or very negligible side effects. Therefore, the demand of medicinal plants by rapidly growing pharmaceutical industries has increased tremendously during the past few decades. In India, majority of the population depends upon traditional systems of medic...

During the past few decades, the signifi cant progresses have been made with the development of molecular marker for the detection and exploitation of DNA polymorphism in the fi eld of plant biotechnology and their genetic studies. According to the type of study to be conducted, one can choose a specifi c marker from a variety of different markers,...

Climbers are the perfect example of the economy of nature by using maximum utilization of sunlight, water, and nutrients in minimum expanse of vegetation support. During food scarcity, they serve as the best food source for various animals. Climbers are also the best source of medicine, vegetable, and fruit. They cover a broad range of light throug...

Somatic embryogenesis is the production of embryo-like structures from somatic cells without any gametic fusion. With a low frequency of chimeras, a high number of regenerants, and a limited level of somaclonal variations, somatic embryogenesis is more attractive than organogenesis as a plant regeneration system. Somatic embryos arise both naturall...

The book provides an overview on adoption of biotechnological approaches for the conservation, micropropagation, synseed production of various medicinal and ornamental climbers. The work includes a brief chapter on evolution and diversification of climbers. Other chapters give insights on protocols for in vitro propagation and synseed production of...

Tylophora indica is an important medicinal and endangered climber of Asclepiadaceae family, commonly called as “antmool.” This perennial climber is indigenous to India and mainly occurs on plains, hilly slopes, and the outskirts of the forests of eastern and southern India. The plant is used by the common people in certain regions of India for the...

The word transformation, in terms of molecular biology, may be defined as the alteration of genes of a cell due to the direct uptake of exogenous DNA from surroundings through cell membrane and its successful incorporation into the host cell genome. The genetic transformation technology employed to plants has opened new vistas in the field of crop...

The modern biotechnological approaches provide an alternative solution for the mass propagation and conservation of genetic diversity as well as production of medicinal compounds in vitro. In traditional medicine Cassia species have been well known for their laxative and purgative properties and for the treatment of skin diseases and continue to in...

A comparative analysis was performed on the clonal propagation from aerial nodal segments and root sucker derived nodal segments of Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations of plant growth regulators (PGRs). The results proved that the nodal segments from root suckers have great potentials to multiply rapidly...

The present work describes an efficient system for cyclic somatic embryogenesis along with biochemical determination of antioxidative enzymes at characteristic stages of embryonic development in Albizia lebbeck. Highest embryogenic callii induction with maximum development of primary somatic embryoids (70.3 ± 0.88%) was achieved on Woody Plant Medi...

Aqer Qerha (Anacyclus pyrethrum DC.), family Asteraceae is a perennial, procumbent herb, native to north Africa and Arab countries and in India it is found in Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir and North India. In Unani System of Medicine it is an effective remedy for the treatment of a variety of diseases. The plant roots are reported for muhallil-e-awr...

Key message The study describes an efficient regeneration system and encapsulation of nodal segments in F. carica accompanied with frequent root formation in microshoots under the influence of salicylic acid. Abstract The present study describes an improved protocol for clonal propagation and a short-term conservation strategy using an encapsula...

The present study reports a high frequency in vitro propagation protocol through apical bud sprouting and basal organogenic nodule formation in shoot tip explants of Decalepis hamiltonii, an endemic and endangered medicinal liana. Among different combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and growth additives, maximum of 8.20 shoots per explant...

The present study provides a protocol for high-frequency in vitro propagation and short-term conservation using encapsulation technology of Salvia splendens. Nodal segments were more responsive than shoot tips in terms of shoot multiplication. Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) basal medium augmented with 5.0 µM 6-benzyl adenine (BA) was optimum for shoot...

The present study reports a high frequency in vitro propagation protocol through apical bud sprouting and basal organogenic nodule formation in shoot tip explants of Decalepis hamiltonii, an endemic and endangered medicinal liana. Among different combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and growth additives, maximum of 8.20 shoots per explant...

Aims: The present study provides an efficient protocol for short-term storage and germplasm exchange of a potent medicinal herb, Spilanthes mauritiana using encapsulated nodal segments. Study Design: For in vitro conversion of synseeds, 5 beads were placed in each flask having Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different combinations...

An efficient method for cloning Syzygium cumini (above 40 years old) through mature nodal segments has been successfully developed and that could be exploited for large-scale production of this valuable multipurpose tree. Nodal segments from mature tree were taken as explants and cultured on MS basal medium with different cytokinins (BA, Kin, AdS)....

Plant regeneration through indirect somatic embryogenesis was attempted from the immature cotyledon-derived explant of Cassia angustifolia Vahl. – a valuable leguminous shrub. The highest frequency (90.5 %) of somatic embryos was obtained on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium augmented with 10.0 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and 1.0 μM...

he present study reports variation in in vitro germination responses between two genotypes of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. an endangered agroforestry species. Fruits were collected from arid and semi-arid zones of Jodhpur (J) and Ahmedabad (A) respectively. Mature seeds of both the germplasms were isolated and subjected to in vitro germination on...