Antioxidant activity evaluation of essential oil and RAPD analysis of in vitro regenerated Blumea mollis (D. Don) Merr.

Essential oil obtained from the leaves of Blumea mollis (D. Don) Merr. was analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC and GC–MS). Bicyclic sesquiterpene, β-caryophyllene, was identified as a major compound which accounted for 24.54 %. Antioxidant activity of oil was significantly higher than that of methanol extract of callus. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 4.4 μM BA showed multiple shoot induction after 8 weeks of culture. 4.6 μM Kin showed in vitro flowering and direct organogenesis was observed from the leaf explants on medium containing 4.4 μM BA and 5.4 μM NAA. Rooted plantlets developed on half strength MS medium fortified with 2.1 μM IBA were hardened and percentage survival was recorded up to 70. RAPD analysis revealed a little genetic variation in micropropagated plants.