Published papers

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Wedelia chinensis has been widely used as a traditional medicine and several bioactive compounds have been isolated. We investigated phytotoxic property and phytotoxic substances in the species. An aqueous methanol extract of W. chinensis inhibited the growth of roots and shoots of cress. The extracts were then purified by several chromatographic runs with monitoring the inhibitory activity and a phytotoxic substance was isolated. The substance was determined by spectral data to be a novel kaurene-type compound, wedelienone. Wedelienone inhibited the growth of cress and timothy (Phleum pratense L) at concentrations greater than 10–30 μM. These results suggest that wedelienone may contribute to the phytotoxic effects caused by the extracts.

© 2020, © 2020 Societá Botanica Italiana. Eleocharis atropurpurea is an annual weed and distributed widely in pantropical and subtropical regions. Yet, there have been no studies on the allelopathy of E. atropurpurea. Therefore, we investigated the allelopathic potential of E. atropurpurea to identify allelopathic substances from it. The aqueous methanolic extracts of E. atropurpurea showed an inhibitory effect on the seedling growth of lettuce, rapeseed, barnyard grass and foxtail fescue. Inhibition was species- and concentration-dependent. Two substances, syringaldehyde and acetosyringone, were isolated by using chromatography and using spectroscopy their structures were determined. Syringaldehyde and acetosyringone inhibited the shoot and root growth of cress and barnyard grass at concentrations greater than 3.0 mM except shoot growth of barnyard grass by acetosyringone. Concentration and seedling growth of cress and barnyard grass displayed a negative correlation. The I50 values of syringaldehyde and acetosyringone for the shoot and root growth of cress were 1.67 and 1.61 mM, and 1.49, and 1.29 mM, respectively, whereas for the shoot and root growth of barnyard grass the values were 4.09 and 2.41 mM, and 4.54 and 1.92 mM, respectively. Therefore, it is suggested that these compounds may contribute to the inhibitory effects of E. atropurpurea.

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Plants are sources of diversified allelopathic substances that can be investigated for use in eco-friendly and efficient herbicides. An aqueous methanol extract from the leaves of Garcinia xanthochymus exhibited strong inhibitory activity against barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.), foxtail fescue (Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and cress (Lepidium sativum L.), and appears to be a promising source of allelopathic substances. Hence, bio-activity guided purification of the extract through a series of column chromatography steps yielded a novel compound assigned as garcienone ((R, E)-5-hydroxy-5-((6S, 9S)-6-methyl-9-(prop-13-en-10-yl) tetrahydrofuran-6-yl) pent-3-en-2-one). Garcienone significantly inhibited the growth of cress at a concentration of 10 µM. The concentrations resulting in 50% growth inhibition (I50) of cress roots and shoots were 120.5 and 156.3 µM, respectively. This report is the first to isolate and identify garcienone and to determine its allelopathic potential.

© 2020 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy. Iheyamides A (1), B (2), and C (3), new linear peptides, were isolated from a marine Dapis sp. cyanobacterium. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and degradation reactions. Iheyamide A (1) showed moderate antitrypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei brucei (IC50 = 1.5 μM), but the other two analogues, iheyamides B (2) and C (3), did not (IC50 > 20 μM, respectively). The structure-activity relationship clarified that an isopropyl-O-Me-pyrrolinone moiety was necessary for the antitrypanosomal activity. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of 1 against normal human cells, WI-38, was 10 times weaker than its antitrypanosomal activity (IC50 = 18 μM).

Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy. An antimalarial lipopeptide, ikoamide, was isolated from an Okeania sp. marine cyanobacterium. Its gross structure was established by spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute configuration was clarified based on a combination of chiral-phase HPLC analyses, spectroscopic analyses, and derivatization reactions. Ikoamide showed strong antimalarial activity with an IC50 value of 0.14 μM without cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines at 10 μM.

Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy. Irijimasides A-E (1-5), a series of new 14-membered macrolide glycosides, were isolated from a marine cyanobacterium collected in Okinawa. The gross structures of 1-5 were established by spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR, while absolute stereostructures were determined based on NOESY spectra, chemical derivatization, and ECD data. All five macrolides suppressed receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity in mouse RAW264 macrophage cells, indicating that these compounds inhibit osteoclast formation.

© 2020 Weed Science Society of Japan Cassia alata (Caesalpiniaceae), an ornamental shrub, has many biological properties such as antifungal and antibacterial activities. Several bioactive and phytotoxic compounds have already been isolated from C. alata. Phytotoxic substances from plants have drawn attention as an alternative biological approach to control weeds. Thus, we conducted this research to explore other phytotoxic compounds in C. alata leaves. Aqueous methanol extracts of C. alata leaves strongly inhibited the seedling growth of broccoli, cabbage, cress, radish and rapeseed, in which the level of inhibition correlated with concentration. Two active compounds were isolated through chromatographies and identified using spectral data as (S)-4-(3-hydroxybutyl)phenol [(+)-rhododendrol] and (E)-4-((1R,4R)-4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one [3-hydroxy-α-ionone]. These two active compounds inhibited the growth of cress seedlings in a concentration-dependent manner. The required concentrations for 50% growth inhibition (I50 value) of cress seedlings were 192.0–296.1 μM for (+)-rhododendrol and 132.4–195.3 μM for 3-hydroxy-α-ionone. These results indicate that the two phytotoxic compounds play a part in the phytotoxic activity of C. alata leaves.

Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy. The bioassay-guided fractionation of an Okeania sp. marine cyanobacterium collected in Okinawa led to the isolation of the lipopeptide mabuniamide (1). The gross structure of 1 was determined by spectroscopic analyses, and its absolute configuration was determined using Marfey's analysis of the acid hydrolysate of 1. The absolute configuration of 1 was confirmed by total synthesis. Mabuniamide (1) stimulated glucose uptake in cultured rat L6 myotubes. In addition, mabuniamide (1) and its stereoisomer (2) exhibited moderate antimalarial activity.

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The phytotoxic potential of plants and their constituents against other plants is being increasingly investigated as a possible alternative to synthetic herbicides to control weeds in crop fields. In this study, we explored the phytotoxicity and phytotoxic substances of Schumannianthus dichotomus, a perennial wetland shrub native to Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar. Leaf extracts of S. dichotomus exerted strong phytotoxicity against two dicot species, alfalfa and cress, and two monocot species, barnyard grass and Italian ryegrass. A bioassay-driven purification process yielded two phenolic derivatives, syringic acid and methyl syringate. Both constituents significantly inhibited the growth of cress and Italian ryegrass in a concentration-dependent manner. The concentrations required for 50% growth inhibition (I50 value) of the shoot and root growth of cress were 75.8 and 61.3 μM, respectively, for syringic acid, compared with 43.2 and 31.5 μM, respectively, for methyl syringate. Similarly, to suppress the shoot and root growth of Italian rye grass, a greater amount of syringic acid (I50 = 213.7 and 175.9 μM) was needed than methyl syringate (I50 = 140.4 to 130.8 μM). Methyl syringate showed higher phytotoxic potential than syringic acid, and cress showed higher sensitivity to both substances. This study is the first to report on the phytotoxic potential of S. dichotomus and to identify phytotoxic substances from this plant material.

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Cyatheaceae (tree ferns) appeared during the Jurassic period and some of the species still remain. Those species may have some morphological and/or physiological characteristics for survival. A tree fern was observed to suppress the growth of other ligneous plants in a tropical forest. It was assumed that the fern may release toxic substances into the forest floor, but those toxic substances have not yet been identified. Therefore, we investigated the phytotoxicity and phytotoxic substances of Cyathea lepifera (J. Sm. ex Hook.) Copel. An aqueous methanol extract of C. lepifera fronds inhibited the growth of roots and shoots of dicotyledonous garden cress (Lepidum sativum L.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), and monocotyledonous ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), timothy (Phleum pratense L.), and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.). The results suggest that C. lepifera fronds may have phytotoxicity and contain some phytotoxic substances. The extract was purified through several chromatographic steps during which inhibitory activity was monitored, and p-coumaric acid and (-)-3-hydroxy-β-ionone were isolated. Those compounds showed phytotoxic activity and may contribute to the phytotoxic effects caused by the C. lepifera fronds. The fronds fall and accumulate on the forest floor through defoliation, and the compounds may be released into the forest soils through the decomposition process of the fronds. The phytotoxic activities of the compounds may be partly responsible for the fern’s survival.

© 2019, Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków. The fruits of Piper retrofractum Vahl. contain a variety of compounds, but no phytotoxic compound with plant growth inhibitory activity has been reported. Therefore, the phytotoxic activity of P. retrofractum fruit extracts was investigated and found the reduction of seedling growth of cress, lettuce, alfalfa, barnyard grass, Italian ryegrass, and jungle rice. Seven bioactive compounds were isolated from the fruit extracts and identified as 3-phenylpropanoic acid (1), (2E,4E)-methyl piperate (2), (2E,4Z)-methyl piperate (3), piperlonguminine (4), dihydropiperine (5), isochavicine (6), and piperine (7). There have been no reports for their phytotoxic activity. The activity of these compounds was determined against the germination and seedling growth of cress and barnyard grass. The total germination percentage (GP) of cress was significantly inhibited by 1, 2, and 6 (40–100% inhibition), while its germination index or progressive total of cumulative germination (GI) was the most sensitive to 1, leading to the longest time required for 50% germination (T50) at 57 h behind control. However, the seedling growth of cress was highly inhibited by 6 with I50 values of 11 µM. The compounds 1 and 5–7 showed significant inhibition on GP of barnyard grass by 55–47%, while 5 and 1 effectively reduced GI and extended T50 to 42–48 h behind control, and 7 showed the most growth inhibition with I50 values of 37 µM. The inhibitory effects of the seven compounds indicate the phytotoxic property of P. retrofractum fruits, which 1, 5–7 may be the main compounds responsible for the phytotoxicity.

© The Author(s) 2019 Aqueous methanol extracts of Acmella oleracea inhibited the growth of roots and shoots of cress (Lepidum sativum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) with the extract concentration-dependent manner. The extracts were then purified and 2 growth inhibitory substances were isolated and identified by spectral data as (E,E)-2,4-undecadien-8,10-diynoic acid isobutylamide (compound 1) and nona-(2Z)-en-6,8-diynoic acid 2-phenylethylamide (compound 2). Compound 1 inhibited the growth of cress roots and shoots at concentrations greater than 0.3 mM and that of barnyard grass root at concentrations greater than 0.03 mM. Compound 2 inhibited the growth of cress shoots and barnyard grass roots at concentrations greater than 1 mM. The inhibition on the seedling growth indicates that both compounds had growth inhibitory activity and may contribute to the inhibitory effect of A. oleracea extracts. This is the first report of having growth inhibitory activity of compounds 1 and 2 on plants.

© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim Iriomoteolide-2a is a marine macrolide metabolite isolated from a cultured broth of the benthic dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. HYA024 strain. This naturally occurring substance was reported to show remarkable cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines HeLa and DG-75 and in vivo antitumor activity against murine leukemia P388 cell line. Herein, the total synthesis, stereochemical revision, and biological assessment of iriomoteolide-2a are reported in detail. Total synthesis of the proposed structure 1 of iriomoteolide-2a featured a late-stage convergent assembly of three components by a Suzuki–Miyaura coupling, an esterification, and a ring-closing metathesis. However, the NMR data of synthetic 1 were not identical to those of the natural product. Careful analysis of the NMR data of the authentic material and synthesis/NMR analysis of appropriately designed model compounds led to consideration of four possible stereoisomers 2–5 as candidates for the correct structure. Accordingly, total syntheses of 2–5 were achieved by taking advantage of the convergent strategy, and comparison of the NMR spectra of synthetic 2–5 with those of the natural product led to the conclusion that 5 shows the correct relative configuration of iriomoteolide-2a. The absolute configuration of this natural product was finally established through chiral HPLC analysis of synthetic 5/ent-5 with the authentic sample. The antiproliferative activity of the synthetic compounds was assessed against HeLa and A549 cells to show that, in contrast to expectation, synthetic 5 and ent-5 were only marginally active in these cell lines. This work clearly underscores the vital role of total synthesis in the establishment of the structure and biological activity of natural products.

© The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions A plant growth inhibitory substance was isolated from Heliotropium indicum by bioassay-guided purification and characterized to be (+)-isoamericanol A. (+)-Isoamericanol A significantly inhibited seedling growth of cress at a concentration greater than 0.1 mM. The concentrations of (+)-isoamericanol A required for 50% growth inhibition of cress roots and hypocotyls were 0.5 and 0.4 mM, respectively. This inhibition indicates that (+)-isoamericanol A had a growth inhibitory activity and may contribute to the allelopathic effect of H. indicum. This report is the first on the plant growth inhibitory activity of (+)-isoamericanol A as an allelopathic substance.

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Anredera cordifolia (Tenore) Steenis is widely planted as an ornamental and medicinal plant in Indonesia. On the other hand, in some other countries this plant is classified as a noxious weed. As a harmful weed, A. cordifolia is reported to have the ability to smother all native vegetation, collapse canopies of tall trees, cultivate as a ground cover and disrupt native seedling development. There is no available information about the involvement of any allelochemicals from A. cordifolia related to these issues. The present study evaluated the allelopathic effect by isolating and identifying the allelopathic substance from A. cordifolia leaf extract. The allelopathic potency of A. cordifolia was determined by a series of bioassays of shoot and root growth on some selected test plants. Separation and purification of the active substances was achieved through several chromatography processes. Finally, the substances with allelopathic activity were identified through high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS) analysis and determined by the specific rotation of compound, proton and carbon NMR spectroscopies. The results show that A. cordifolia possesses allelopathic properties which affect other plant species. The isolated compound from the plant material, 3-hydroxy-alpha-ionone, may contribute to the allelopathic effects of A. cordifolia.

© 2018, Brazilian Society of Plant Physiology. Plants, which include crops, weeds, and trees, are able to release effective allelochemicals that inhibit the growth and development of other plants. Eleocharis atropurpurea, a small, annual tufted weed, is renowned for being widely found in crop fields, yet there have been no studies on the allelopathy of E. atropurpurea (Cyperaceae). Thus, we explored the allelopathic potential and allelochemicals in E. atropurpurea and found that aqueous methanol extracts of E. atropurpurea inhibited the seedling growth of Lepidium sativum, Medicago sativa, Lolium multiflorum, and Phleum pratense. There was a significant negative correlation between the seedling growth of the test plants and extract concentration. Extracts were purified using several chromatographic steps and one growth inhibitory substance was isolated and identified by spectroscopic analysis as trans-ferulaldehyde. The active substance trans-ferulaldehyde significantly inhibited the shoot and root length of Lepidium sativum at concentrations higher than 1.0 and 3.0 mM, respectively, whereas the seedling length of Echinochloa crus-galli was inhibited by trans-ferulaldehyde at concentrations higher than 3.0 mM. The trans-ferulaldehyde I50 values for the growth of Lepidium sativum and Echinochloa crus-galli were in the range of 0.73–3.68 mM. The growth inhibitory results of this study suggest that trans-ferulaldehyde may be responsible for the inhibitory effects of E. atropurpurea and may contribute to weed allelopathy.

© 2017 United Arab Emirates University. The weedy annual grass Lamium amplexicaule (L.) originated from the Mediterranean region, spreads quickly, and becomes naturalized in areas it invades. It was assumed that volatile phytotoxic substances are one of the invasive characteristics of L. amplexicaule. However, no volatile compound has been found. Therefore, we re-evaluated the allelopathic potential of L. amplexicaule and investigated the phytotoxic substances with allelopathic activity. An extract of L. amplexicaule inhibited the root and shoot growth of Lepidium sativum, Lactuca sativa, Arctium lappa, Lolium multiflorum Lam., Echinochloa crus-galli, and Vulpia myuros, which indicates that the extract has an allelopathic effect. The extract was purified using bioassay-guided chromatographic separations, and a phytotoxic substance with allelopathic activity was isolated and characterized as methyl caffeate. The compound significantly inhibited the root and shoot growth of L. sativum and L. multiflorum. The present results suggest that methyl caffeate may contribute to the allelopathic effect of the L. amplexicaule extracts and consequently, may be partly responsible for the invasive characteristics of the species.

© 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Cassia alata (Caesalpiniaceae) is a large perennial shrub native to tropical America. It is an important medicinal and ornamental plant and has been reported to possess several pharmacological properties. However, phytotoxic substances from C. alata have not yet been documented in the literature. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the phytotoxic potential of C. alata leaves and to identify inhibitory substances for the purpose of eco-friendly weed management. The effect of aqueous methanol extracts of C. alata on the seedling growth of alfalfa, cress, lettuce, rapeseed, barnyard grass, foxtail fescue, Italian ryegrass, and timothy was examined. The level of inhibition of the extracts corresponded to concentration. Several chromatographic steps were performed to separate the extracts, and through spectroscopic analysis, two active substances were isolated and characterised as rutin and syringone. These two active substances significantly inhibited the seedling growth of cress and foxtail fescue. The range of I 50 values (required concentration for 50% growth inhibition) of rutin and syringone for the seedling growth of cress and foxtail fescue were 129.5–417.8 and 160.1–466.5 µM, respectively. These results indicate that the two identified active phytotoxic substances from C. alata may be responsible for its growth inhibitory properties.

© 2018 Natural Product Incorporation. Jatropha podagrica Hook. is cultivated as an ornamental plant and is also used in traditional medicine. The species has various pharmacological properties, but it has not yet been investigated for any potential allelopathic activity and allelopathic substances. In this study, an allelopathic active substance was isolated from an aqueous methanol extract of J. podagrica leaves through chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. The substance was characterized as 6,7- dimethoxychromone by spectral analysis. 6,7-Dimethoxychromone significantly inhibited the shoots and roots of cress at concentrations greater than 0.3 mM. The concentrations required of 6,7-dimethoxychromone for 50% growth inhibition of cress shoots and roots were 0.95 and 0.83 mM, respectively. The inhibitory activity against the seedling growth of cress indicates that 6,7-dimethoxychromone may contribute to the allelopathic effects and may be responsible for the allelopathic activity in J. podagrica. This report is the first on the allelopathic activity of 6,7-dimethoxychromone as an allelopathic substance from J. podagrica.

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Kyanamide (1), a new depsipeptide containing 3-amino-6-hydroxy-2-piperidone moiety, was isolated from the Caldora penicillata marine cyanobacterium collected in Okinawa. Its structure was determined by spectroscopic analysis and Marfey's analysis of acid hydrolysate. Kyanamide exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against HeLa S3 cells. 1 also exhibited potent protease inhibitory activity against elastase and chymotrypsin with IC50 values of 0.13 nM and 1.1 μM.