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According to folklore, Bacopa monnieri commonly called as Brahmi is known for its cognitive enhancing properties. The plant is found abundantly in wetlands but the drug content (bacosides) is very low (0.2%), therefore, alternative biotechnological protocols are highly needed to supplement the constant source of this valuable plant material which produces stable amounts of bacosides. The present study was conducted to explore the application of different culture systems for cultivation of shoot biomass and maximization of biologically active bacoside biosynthesis in this medicinally important plant. Shoot cultures of Bacopa were cultivated in two different modified benchtop bioreactors: glass bottle bioreactor and balloon type bubble bioreactor and compared with those grown in traditional Erlenmeyer agitated flask. The shoots cultivated in the balloon type bubble bioreactor system showed excellent growth (growth index 796.47 ± 17.27 fresh weight and 395.55 ± 7.55 dry weight) as compared to glass bottle bioreactor system (growth index 488.17 ± 14.4 fresh weight and 327.79 ± 6.64 dry weight) and agitated flask (growth index 363.43 ± 11 fresh weight and 304.22 ± 6.76 dry weight). Furthermore, bacosides produced by shoot cultures cultivated in the balloon type bubble bioreactor (321.95 ± 17.14 mg/L) and glass bottle bioreactor (180.18 ± 6.25 mg/L) configurations were ∼2.78 fold and ∼1.55 fold higher than that recorded in agitated flask cultures (115.7 ± 3.84 mg/L). The balloon type bubble bioreactor system was found to be advantageous for enhancing B. monnieri shoot biomass and bacoside biosynthesis along with ensuring a successful protocol for continuous supply.

The effect of different elicitors [jasmonic acid, salicylic acid] and precursors [calcium pantothenate, cholesterol, sodium nitroprusside] on the stimulation of biomass and secondary metabolite production in suspension cultures of Bacopa monnieri was studied. Induction of primary callus cultures was successfully carried out on the Gamborg’s B(5) (B(5)) medium fortified with 2, 4-D (1.0 mg l(−1)) using Bacopa monnieri leaves as explants. The friable fine suspension cell culture was raised on parent B(5) media without agar. The elicitation using different elicitors and precursors at varying concentrations was carried out over a period of 3, 6, 9, 15 days. Elicitor treated cultures showed marked increase in biomass and bacoside production around 6th–9th day (0.98 GI DW). In the present study, salicylic acid at 1.0 mg l(−1) induced a maximum elicitation in bacoside content (6.58 mg g(−1) DW). The present study provides favorable evidence on the potential of bacoside production using suspension cultures of B. monnieri. The study results also indicate the beneficial effects of elicitation on metabolite production in in vitro suspension cultures of B. monnieri plant known for its cognitive improving properties.

Nanotechnology is a rapidly emerging branch utilizing nanosized molecules and attracting every possible corner of research adopted for the betterment of humankind. Plant-mediated nanoparticles are chosen over conventionally synthesized nanomaterials because of their ecofriendly nature, economic value, reduced toxicity, and rapid and easy handling. Plant-based metabolites possess diverse therapeutic applications and have the ability to reduce metal ions to produce nanosized particles via the green synthetic approach. The combining of the attributes from metal ions and plant metabolites has a huge capacity to synthesize a potential bioactive molecule. Among different metallic nanoparticles, plant-fabricated nanoparticles have unique physiochemical properties and thus have great potential for the development of a new array of herbicides, pesticides, target genes, antimicrobials, and a wide range of antipathogenic molecules. The elucidation of synthesis, characterization, and applications of plant-mediated nanoparticles is an alternative approach toward medico aid by generating novel and potential drug molecules. Furthermore, this technique is very simple, environmentally clean, and has demonstrated well the synergistic effect of metal and plant metabolites.