Production of Medicinal Compounds from Endangered and Commercially Important Medicinal Plants through Cell and Tissue Culture Technology for Herbal Industry

Plant cell culture technologies have made possible the production of a wide variety of pharmaceuticals such as alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, saponins, monoterpenes, flavonoids and amino acids. The standardization of technologies for the production of plant metabolites through cell cultures helps in understanding the biology of their biosynthesis and accumulation. Various factors such as physical, chemical, nutritional, and genetic influence the production of metabolites in plant cell cultures. The controlled production of plant metabolites through cell cultures provides a suitable alternative not only in relieving pressure from natural habitats of plant species but also provides conditions suitable for year-round production of metabolites. The production of plant metabolites has been enhanced by exposing the cultured cells to biotic and abiotic elicitors. Off late, the induction of hairy roots has been found suitable in the production of metabolites synthesized in various parts of plants. The lack of proper understanding about the biology of biosynthesis of plant metabolites has been a major stumbling block, in addition to poor amenability of medicinal and aromatic plant species to in vitro conditions. Continuous efforts are required to be made in upscaling the production of metabolites on large scale. Least attention has been given towards working out the cost-effectiveness of metabolite production through cell cultures.