LAUSR

Abstract The phytochemistry of Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort) has been elaborated extensively owing to its immense application in medicinal chemistry. Most of pharmacological activities were assigned to presence of photosensitive naphthodianthrone, hypericin and other allied flavonoid constituents. Escalating demands of hyperforin as antidepressant added more lure to Hypericum perforatum L. In the current study, efforts were made for quick propagation of the plant by in vitro culture using nodal explants. The nodal explants were cultured on agarized Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with auxin and cytokinin. The highest number of shoots (50.5) per explant was found on media supplemented with 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) 7.5 μM and Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) 2.0 µM. Our study showed 1.4 fold increment in shoot number viz –a-viz shoot morphogenesis from the nodal explants took about 24 days which is significantly shorter than earlier published reports. In the current study auxins Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and IAA were found to be equally important for root induction, whereas Napthalene acetic acid (NAA) was not required. The maximum root number (15.8) with 100% response was observed on MS + IBA (4.0 µM). Further, free radicals produced due to various environmental stresses and numerous metabolic processes ultimately lead to complete cell impairment. To combat this cellular damage organisms require dynamic defense systems. In addition to inherent defense machinery, we can supplement the defense systems of organisms with natural resources like herbs. In this regard, the free radical scavenging assay was also assessed. In our experiment line, best plant hormonal combination (I1 = MS + BAP 7.5 µM + IAA 2.0 µM) was selected on the basis of higher shootlet formation and their antioxidant activity was compared with in vitro control (I0 = MS) as well as with wild plants (W). I1 plant extracts have shown strong free radical scavenging activity with 1 fold increment as compared with wild and in vitro control.