MICROPROPAGATION IN VITRO AND REGENERATION OF FERTILE PLANTS OF THE ENDANGERED MEDICINAL SPECIES HARPAGOPHYTUM PROCUMBENS AND ZEYHERI

Extracts of the tubers of Devil’s Claw are widely used for the relief of arthritis, lumbago and muscular pain.
Their anti-inflammatory activity is attributed to their iridoid components particularly to harpagoside, which inhibits lipoxygenase, enzyme implicated in skin inflammation.
In our objectives of the production and conservation of Harpagophytum species, we established a two-step protocol for the propagation in vitro of plants of Harpagophytum by the regeneration in vitro of new plantlets from stem sections.
Nodal stem sections were submitted to a root induction treatment followed by a root elongation step to promote rooting of the microcuttings.
The new plantlets were weaned under autotrophic conditions and were acclimatised in a glasshouse where they grew into flowering fertile plants producing their characteristic ‘Devil’s Claw’ fruits as well as the tuberised secondary roots.
The micropropagation and acclimatisation of Devil’s claw offers a new approach to the conservation and the commercial cultivation of the species.

IV International Symposium on In Vitro Culture and Horticultural Breeding

G. Levieille, G. Wilson

Devil’s claw, Harpagophytum procumbens, Harpagophytum zeyheri, micropropagation, acclimatisation, iridoids, harpagoside

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2001.560.87