IN VITRO PLANT REGENERATION OF HEDYCHIUM CORONARIUM J KOENIG AND ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC AND BIOCHEMICAL FIDELITY of THE REGENERANTS

Abstract

Hedychium coronarium J. Koenig (Butterfly lily) is a rhizomatous herb, newlinebelonging to the family of Zingiberaceae. The plant is popular in India and China for its newlineuse in traditional systems of medicine. At the same time, recent studies revealed newlinevarious biological activities of H. coronarium such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, newlineantioxidant, cytotoxicity, and analgesic. The biological activities of this important newlinemedicinal plant are probably due to the presence of different labdane diterpenes and newlinesesquiterpenes type of compounds. Infact, H. coronarium is a rich source of coronarin newlineD (a labdane diterpenes) which has been isolated, identified and studied for its various newlinebiological activities including anticancer properties. The plant is also of horticultural newlineimportance due to its beautiful (butter fly shape) and fragrant flower and thus, often newlineused for ornamental purposes in the gardens of tropical regions. The plant has also newlinecommercial and industrial importance due to presence of volatile compounds in its newlineflower which exhibit more fragrant than species like rose and snapdragon and thus newlineuseful for perfumery. Not only flowers but the rhizomes of the plant are also good newlinesource of essential/ volatile oil and used for making perfumes. The stem of the plant is newlinepotential source of raw materials in paper making industries as it contain about 42-48% newlinecellulose. Rhizomes, flowers, and tender shoots of this plant are also used as food and newlineconsumed as raw vegetables in different parts of globes including India, Japan, and newlineHawaii. newlineDue to multifarious use and high demand newline