Abstract

GARCIA-MATEOS, Rosario; PENA-VALDIVIA, Cecilia Beatriz  and  SOTO-HERNANDEZ, Marcos. Phytotoxicity of crude alkaloid fractions from Erythrina americana. Rev. Soc. Quím. Méx [online]. 2002, vol.46, n.1, pp.04-09. ISSN 0583-7693.

Effects of alkaloid extracts from Erythrina americana seeds were evaluated on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) germination and also on the photochemical activities of isolated chloroplasts of pea (Pisum sativum L.). The alkaloid mixtures did not affect the germination, but low concentrations of free alkaloids (< 2.5 mg / mL) inhibited the ATP synthesis and the light induced proton uptake in isolated chloroplasts. The liberated alkaloid fraction (< 5 mg / mL) stimulated the ATP synthesis, but did not affect the proton uptake. Although more experimental evidence could be necessary, these results demonstrated a low phytotoxicity of the crude alkaloid fractions of E. americana.

Keywords : Secondary metabolites; germination; photosynthesis.

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