In vitro Strategies for the Production of Bioactive Therapeutics from Caralluma Species

Bioactive substances that may be used for therapeutic purposes are key sources of supply from medicinal plants. The conventional techniques used for the extraction of these chemicals sometimes need the collection of substantial quantities of plant material from natural habitats. Nevertheless, a significant number of medicinal plant species are under the threat of endangerment as a result of excessive harvesting practices. The use of in vitro cell and tissue culture methods presents a viable and sustainable approach to the production of bioactive compounds, eventually reducing the need for over exploitation of the plants from the wild. This is particularly pertinent in the case of the succulent genus Caralluma, since it has exhibited the qualities that are anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-cancer attributed to the endogenous therapeutic compounds like steroidal, pregnane and flavone glycosides. The establishment of cell suspensions, hairy root, and callus cultures of Caralluma species has contributed to the efficient production of natural bioactives enabling rapid, sustainable biomass and metabolite beyond whole-plant levels. Elicitation is a dynamic biotechnological tool for the bioaccumulation of secondary metabolites by activation of metabolic pathways stimulated by elicitors. Moreover, the use of in vitro methodologies, such as elicitation, may be employed to augment the synthesis of secondary metabolites. This approach aids in the conservation of wild plant populations while simultaneously addressing the growing need for medicines derived from natural products.