A high yielding elite plant of Jatropha curcas was established under aseptic condition from field-grown nodal explants. Shoots were proliferated in MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg dm(-3) benzyladenine and 0.1 mg dm(-3) indolebutyric acid along with 10 mg dm(-3) adenine sulphate and a combination of 15 mg dm(-3) each of L-glutamine and L-arginine. However, within 15-20 d of culture incubation, tissue browning/necrosis leading to poor plant regeneration in vitro was observed. A set of different antioxidants, namely, reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid, tocopherol and cysteine were used in the medium individually and in combination to solve the problem of tissue browning and necrosis. The addition of antioxidants proved beneficial for the growth of the shoots. The optimum medium comprised of 25 mg dm(-3) reduced glutathione and 10 mg dm(-3) ascorbic acid, where proliferating shoots having highest leaf canopy area, remained fresh, green and regenerative up to 40 d of culture incubation without any subculture. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase was higher in control shoots, indicating that tissue browning/necrosis was associated with oxidative stress which was further supported by higher contents of H2O2 and phenolics in control shoots compared to the other treatments. Similarly glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase and guiacol peroxidase was higher in treated shoots than control indicating that these shoots have developed antioxidant enzymatic protective system which determine the ability to survive in oxidative stress and up regulation of these enzymes would help to reduce the built up of reactive oxygen species. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.