Allelopathic Inhibitors in Seeds of Hevacleum laciniatum

Biological inhibitors present in the dry seeds of Heracleum laciniatum Horn have been studied by means of thin layer chromatography and various bioassays. The ethylacetate fraction of methanol extracts contained three main groups of inhibitors having the following R values when chromatographed on silica gel with chloroform: (1) 0.60–0.80; (2) 0.20–0.40; (3) 0.0–0.10. The group (1) inhibited lettuce seed germination and root growth, elongation of Avena first internode segments, growth of the fungus Cladosporium cucumerinum, and it caused leakage of betacyanin from red beet tuber slices. The groups (2) and (3) had no activity in red beet betacyanin leakage test, but they were inhibitory in the other bioassays used. The group (3) were generally less active than the group (2). The group (2) contained the furanocoumarins pimpinellin, bergapten, isobergapten and angelicin. Inhibitors present in the groups (1) and (3) have not been identified. Effects of five synthetic furanocoumarins (pimpinellin, bergapten, isobergapten, isopimpinellin, sphondin) on lettuce seed germination and Cladosporium growth were investigated. Pimpinellin was inhibitory to Cladosporium growth, and lettuce seed germination was inhibited by pimpinellin and sphondin.