In Vitro Flowering and High Xanthotoxin in Ammi majus L.

Ammi majus L. (Apiaceae), an important medicinal herb, constitutes the principal commercial source of xanthotoxin that is commonly used in leucoderma. Since the seed set and germination is poor, the present investigation was undertaken to propagate A. majus through tissue culture and monitor the yield of xanthotoxin (furanocoumarin) in the resultant callus and plantlets. The callus obtained from the cotyledonary leaves on MS medium supplemented with indoleacetic acid (IAA) + kinetin (Kn) + casein hydrolysate (CH), differentiated shoot buds on a medium additionally enriched with adenine. Plantlets 3.5 cm tall, resulted upon transfer of shoots to MS medium with indolebutyric acid (ISA) and glutamine. These plantlets flowered in vitro. The yield of xanthotoxin detected in regenerating cultures is more than hitherto reported from any other tissue including the seeds. lsozymes profile for leucineaminopeptidase (LAP), esterase and peroxidase could be used as reliable markers for the characterization of various stages of growth of callus and regenerants. The present report would prove advantageous in multiplication of Ammi majus and also in inducing enhanced levels of xanthotoxin.