IN VITRO STUDIES IN SALACIA BEDDOMEI GAMBLE-AN ENDEMIC WOODY CLIMBER

More than 50% of all "modern" drugs in clinical use are of natural product origin and natural products play an important role in drug discovery programs of the pharmaceutical industry. The revival of interest in plant derived drugs is mainly due to the current widespread belief that "green medicine" is safe and more dependable than the costly synthetic drug which has adverse side effects. This resurgence of interest in the plant based drugs have necessitated an increased demand of medicinal plants leading to over exploitation, unsustainable harvesting and to the virtual decimation of valuable plant species in the wild.Medicinal plants are renewable natural sources. Therefore,the conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants must necessarily involve a long term, integrated, scientifically oriented program, which involves protection, preservation, maintenance, exploitation, conservation and sustainable utilization. Thus a study was attempted on Salacia beddomei, an endemic medicinal plant.The study determined the variety of morphogenetic potential, isolated and identified secondary metabolites responsible for bioactivity - anti microbial and insecticidal properties.