Abstract

Drugs containing alkaloids are known for their outstanding physiological activity which is based partly on their antibiotic properties, and partly on the inhibition and poisoning of important physiological processes. Since the discovery of Colchicine by Blakeslee & Avery (1937) on the effectiveness of this drug as an agent for inducing chromosome duplication, much work on the effect of allied chemicals on the nuclear cycle has been reported. A review of the recent literature shows that a number of workers have been investigating the various aspects of the different chemicals like colchicine, Acenaphthene, Coumarine, Sulpha-drugs etc. and also the effect of growth promoting chemicals with regard to their activity on the mitosis, growth and cell development. This paper deals with the preliminary observations made during the investigations on the cytological effects of chemicals on the roots of Sesamum orientale L.

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