Phytotoxicity and cytotoxicity of disesquiterpene and sesquiterpene coumarins from Ferula pseudalliacea

Noxious weeds and non-native invaders are of ever growing factors which limit crop production and are usually controlled by vast application of herbicides. Increased application of herbicides however, is considered a risk to human health and the environment as well. The capability of accurately predicting the herbicidal activity and site of action of a new chemical class without extensive laboratory studies would be worth tens of millions of dollars to the herbicide industry (Duke, 1990). Selective herbicides control specific weeds, protect crops and allow the intensification and spread of key crops such as corn, rice, soybeans and wheat. They provide a highly efficient, cost-effective, flexible and convenient method of in-crop weed control. Several plant materials and their constituents have been reported to have sufficient phytotoxicity to act as natural herbicides or allelochemicals (Duke et al., 2000; Pandey, 1996; Pandey et al., 2005). Relative toxicity of a new disesquiterpene- and five sesquiterpene coumarins from the roots of Ferula pseudalliacea was investigated on tobacco cells, as a plant model cell line. The effects of these compounds on the germination of certain weeds and crop plants (from solanaceae) were evaluated as well. The cytotoxic effects of these compounds were also evaluated on human cancer cell line, HeLa. The highest inhibitory effect on the growth of tobacco cells was observed by sanandajin and farnesiferol B. Sanandajin also remarkably inhibited seed germination of all tested weeds and plants. Sanandajin, farnesiferol B, and kamolonol acetate displayed the highest potency against HeLa cells with IC50 of 2.2, 6.7, and 4.9 μM, respectively. The results of the present investigation indicated that disesquiterpene and sesquiterpene coumarins isolated from Ferula pseudalliacea root extract can be considered as potent herbicides and cancer chemopreventive agents.

Noxious weeds and non-native invaders are of ever growing factors which limit crop production and are usually controlled by vast application of herbicides. Increased application of herbicides however, is considered a risk to human health and the environment as well. The capability of accurately predicting the herbicidal activity and site of action of a new chemical class without extensive laboratory studies would be worth tens of millions of dollars to the herbicide industry (Duke, 1990). Selective herbicides control specific weeds, protect crops and allow the intensification and spread of key crops such as corn, rice, soybeans and wheat. They provide a highly efficient, cost-effective, flexible and convenient method of in-crop weed control. Several plant materials and their constituents have been reported to have sufficient phytotoxicity to act as natural herbicides or allelochemicals (Duke et al., 2000; Pandey, 1996; Pandey et al., 2005). Relative toxicity of a new disesquiterpene- and five sesquiterpene coumarins from the roots of Ferula pseudalliacea was investigated on tobacco cells, as a plant model cell line. The effects of these compounds on the germination of certain weeds and crop plants (from solanaceae) were evaluated as well. The cytotoxic effects of these compounds were also evaluated on human cancer cell line, HeLa. The highest inhibitory effect on the growth of tobacco cells was observed by sanandajin and farnesiferol B. Sanandajin also remarkably inhibited seed germination of all tested weeds and plants. Sanandajin, farnesiferol B, and kamolonol acetate displayed the highest potency against HeLa cells with IC50 of 2.2, 6.7, and 4.9 μM, respectively. The results of the present investigation indicated that disesquiterpene and sesquiterpene coumarins isolated from Ferula pseudalliacea root extract can be considered as potent herbicides and cancer chemopreventive agents.