Biotechnological Propagation and Phytochemical Evaluation of Gloriosa superba L.: A Comparative Study with Wild Populations

Gloriosa superba L., also known as Glory Lily, is an important medicinal plant that is endangered and native to tropical areas of India. Due to overharvesting for its valuable alkaloid colchicine, natural populations have sharply declined. This study aims to create an effective biotechnological method for in vitro propagation of G. superba and to compare the chemical composition and medicinal properties of plants grown in the lab with those from the wild. Callus cultures were started from nodal explants using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with different concentrations of BAP and NAA. We optimized regeneration efficiency, plantlet acclimatization, and survival rates. Phytochemical screening and quantitative analysis of alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolics were done using spectrophotometric and HPLC techniques. The results showed that in vitro–grown plants had similar secondary metabolite profiles to wild specimens, although the colchicine concentration was slightly lower (1.82 mg/g vs 2.13 mg/g DW). This study suggests that biotechnological propagation can be a sustainable way to conserve and produce G. superba while preserving its medicinal value.