Abstract
Boucerosia diffusa Wight. is an important endangered medicinal plant belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae. In this study, an efficient protocol has been developed for B. diffusa using nodal explants for callus induction and direct organogenesis. The optimal callus induction (83.7%) was observed on 0.6 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in Murashige and Skoog medium. The shoot regeneration was observed on different concentrations and combinations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 2,4-D using shoot induction (88.5%) was observed on 0.5 mg/L BAP and 0.6 mg/L 2,4-D. Maximum root induction frequency (85.6%) was obtained on 0.6 mg/L α-naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg/L BAP. The fully developed plants were acclimatized (98.86% survival rate) and transferred to natural photoperiod conditions. The phytochemical and pharmacological activity was determined in in vitro-regenerated plants (IRP) and was compared to in vivo wild plants (IWP). The primary and the secondary metabolite contents of bioactive compounds were significantly higher in the methanolic extract of IRP. A comparative antioxidant activity study shows IRP exhibited better scavenging activity. The antidiabetic activity of α- amylase (IC(50) - 71.56 ± 15.4 µg/mL) and α-glucosidase (IC(50) - 82.94 ± 12.84 µg/mL) inhibitor activity also exhibited maximum in methanolic extract of IRP. Furthermore, chemical composition was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Antibacterial activity against human pathogenic bacteria, IRP methanolic extracts showed a maximum zone of inhibition (75 µg/mL) observed against Salmonella typhi (23.5 ± 0.5 mm) compared to the IWP. Molecular docking analysis of B. diffusa inhibition of antidiabetic activity showed better affinity in β-Sitosterol. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03645-5.