Biotechnology1682-296x1682-2978Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/biotech.2007.193.201Ricinus communis L.]]>KhafagiIshrak K.2200762Seed germination, seedling growth and callus induction was compared between two varieties of Ricinus communis L. Callus cultures were initiated from roots, hypocotyls and cotyledonary leaves of the aseptically germinated seedlings on MS medium supplemented with 0.8% agar, 3% sucrose and various combinations of auxins and cytokinins. Seedling growth development and callus growth rate of large-seeded variety (var. major) was higher than that of small-seeded variety (var. minor). However, ricinine content was higher (6.59-7.97 μg g-1 FW) in callus cultures initiated from var. minor than that accumulated in var. major (2.44-4.35 μg g-1 FW). Broad spectrum antibacterial activity was recorded from ethanol and ether extracts of callus cultures of both varieties of R. communis L. against gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Callus cultures subcultured for 3-6 subcultures diffused their antibacterial compounds into agar media during growth development. None of the callus extracts showed activity against Candida albicans. Bioautographic TLC analysis revealed that the antibacterial activity of var. major was due to quercetin and ricinine, while activity of var. minor was due to quercetin, kaempferol and ricinine. In vitro anthelmintic activity against Mesocestoides corti and Taenia crassiceps was recorded from callus cultures initiated from R. communis L. var. major only. Percent mortality of both organisms was high (93-95%) after incubation for 48 h in the presence of 20 μL root extracts of variety major.]]>Adbel-Wahab, A.S.,20012001Ayensu, E.S.,19781978pp: 117178Bigi, M.F., V.L. Torkomian, S.T. Groote, M.J. Hebling and O.C. Bueno et al.,2004Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) and ricinine against the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus.]]>60933938Borris, R.P.,1996512938Boulos, L.,1983Dejey, M.A.,1975Despeyroux, D., N. Walker, M. Pearce, M. Fisher, M. McDonnell, S.C. Bailey, G.D. Griffiths and P. Watts,20002792336Podder, K.S., I. D'Silva and C.S. Vaidyanathan,1993Ricinus communis L. and Abrus precatorius L.]]>94161172Duke, S.O., A.M. Rimando, M.V. Duke, R.N. Paul, J.F.S. Ferreira and R.J. Smeda,19991999pp: 127-136pp: 127-136Ericsson, H.M. and J.C. Sherris,197121711Evans, W.C.,1996Fennell, C.W., K.L. Lindsey, L.J. McGaw, S.G. Sparg and G.I. Stafford et al.,200494205217Ferraz, A.C., M.E. Angelucci, M.L. Costa, I.R. Batista, B.H. De-Oliveira and C. Da-Cunha,1999Ricinus communis.]]>63367375Ferreira, J.F.S. and S.O. Duke,19979309315Gafni, Y. and I. Shechter,19816711691173Hamburger, M.O. and G.A. Cordell,1987501922Hepper, F.N.,1990pp: 26pp: 26Ilavarasan, R., M. Mallika and S. Venkataraman,2006Ricinus communis root extract.]]>103478480Immanuel, G., V.C. Vincybai, V. Sivaram, A. Palavesam and M.P. Marian,2004Vibrio parahaemolyticus) load on shrimp Penaeus indicus juveniles.]]>2365365Kang, S.S., A. Cordell, D.D. Soejarto and H.H.S. Fong,1985Ricinus communis.]]>48155156Khafagi, I.K.,1998in vitro cultures of some Sinai medicinal plants for their antibiotic activity.]]>5B95108Khafagi, I.K., A. Dewedar and M. Amein,20032191211Lentner, M. and T. Bishop,1986Meikle, D.R.,1985214521453Murashige, T. and F. Skoog,196215473497Onwuliri, V.A. and G.E. Anekwe,2001Ricinus communis (Variety Minor), an anti-conceptive seed.]]>4866868Rizk, A.M.,1986pp: 50-150pp: 50-150Salvador, M.J., P.S. Pereira, S.C. França, R.C. Candido, I.Y. Ito and D.A. Dias,2003Alternanthera maritima (Amaranthaceae).]]>34131136Sandhyakumary, K., R.G. Bobby and M. Indira,2003Ricinus communis (Linn) on rats.]]>17508511Sasse, F., J. Hammer and J. Berlin,1980Peganum harmala cell cultures.]]>194234238Shaheen, A.M.,2002Ricinus communis L. in Egypt: Fruit, leaf, seed and pollen.]]>512021206Shariff, N., M.S. Sudarshana, S. Umesha and P. Hariprasad,2006Rauvolfia tetraphylla and Physalis minima leaf and callus extracts.]]>5946950Sitton, D. and C.A. West,1975Ricinus communis seedlings.]]>1419211925Sokmen, A.,200125343350Trease, G.E. and W.C. Evans,1987pp: 1055pp: 1055Upasani, S.M., H.M. Kotkar, P.S. Mendki and V.L. Maheshwari,2003Ricinus communis L. foliage flavonoids.]]>5913491354Wedge, D.E. and N.D. Camper,20002000pp: 1-15pp: 1-15Zar, J.H.,19842nd Edn.,Pages: 718Pages: 718Zohary, M.,19872296296