An allelopathic substance isolated from Zanthoxylum limonella Alston fruit

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate extract of the Zanthoxylum limonella Alston fruits led to the isolation of a phenolic compound named xanthoxyline. The allelopathic effects of xanthoxyline were evaluated on Chinese amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) and Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.) under laboratory conditions. At a concentration of 2500 μM, xanthoxyline completely inhibited seed germination and growth of Chinese amaranth, while this compound showed a significantly inhibitory effect on seed germination of Barnyardgrass by 43.59% and inhibited shoot and root length by 71.56% and 87.48%, respectively. To determine the mechanism through which xanthoxyline exerts its toxicity, the cytogenetic bioassay was conducted. Roots of Allium cepa L. (onion) were treated with a series of concentrations, ranging from 15.625 to 125 μM for 18 h. Cytogenetic studies of onion roots showed a decrease of the mitotic index in the exposed roots dependent on the concentration of xanthoxyline. Likewise, the mitotic phase index was altered in onion incubated with xanthoxyline. Analyses of the abbreviation types showed spindle disturbances at late prophase, sticky metaphase, c-mitosis, non-oriented chromosome at metaphase, sticky anaphase, delayed anaphase and diagonal at telophase for the onion roots exposed to xanthoxyline. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.