IN VITRO PROPAGATION OF ASHWAGANDHA (Withania somnifera) AND HPLC ESTIMATION OF WITHANOLIDES FOR NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES

Neurological ataxia have high social influence and are important aspect determining the prolonged healthy age and the vitality in the modern times. Some of the well known neurological ataxia are Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s. According to the the United Nation’s health agency, World Health Organization, mental and neurological disorders ranging from depression to Alzheimer’s currently strike 400 million people universally and are set to rush in the next two decades. Non- availability of drugs for the prophylaxis and regimen of these disorders throws a confrontation for the researchers. The plentiful natural molecules of plant origin and their modification has yielded turnout not only the new lead molecules for drug discovery and development but also the nutraceuticals. Historically, Withania sominifera commonly known as Ashwagandha is being used as neurotonic for anxiety and neurological disorders. In the current study, culture conditions such as phytohormone and temperature were optimized for both direct and indirect organogenesis to obtain 61-80 shoots from nodal explants of Withania somnifera. The in-vitro cultured plantlets were rooted and reconcile for field trial conditions. The methanolic extract processed from the roots of these plantlet were subjected to HPLC for discosure of compounds.