Vitae (Feb 2009)
EVALUATION OF SOME GROWTH REGULATORS COMBINATION FOR CALLUS INDUCTION IN ANNATTO (<I>Bixa orellana</I> L.) ACTIVE PLANT AGAINST SNAKE BITES
Abstract
Recent evidences suggest annatto can be constituted in a therapeutic alternative by its direct and indirect influences against the poison of Bothrops asper, cause of most of snake bite in our country. The ex- vitro metabolic production of this plant is not obtained in early growth stages but it is possible to obtain it by means of cell cultures. This research evaluates some inductive calli combinations of plant segments of Bixa orellana L, like leaves, roots and stems grown in vitro, in order to get high induction rates and bigger amounts of tissue precursors of cellular suspensions, potentially producers of active metabolites. These explants, located in nutritious means without growth regulators, or with supplements of some combinations of them, are stored for eight weeks (25} 1º C and darkness) and the calli formation percentage tested in second, fifth and eighth week of growing. The calli generation in explants from roots is low, whereas in those from stems and leaves is favored with the treatment and with exposition time to the growth regulators. Regardless of the kind of explant used, the calli formation percentage is increased by the treatment that uses NAA (5 _M) and kinetine (4.64 _M), and showing values of 17,0 %, 58,9 % and 77,5 % for roots, stems and leaves respectively.
