Our search for candidates for photosynthesis inhibitors is allowing us to report the effect of two acetogenins identified in Annona coriacea Mart. leaves, ACG-A and ACG-B, a non-adjacent bis-THF and a mono-THF types, respectively. This is an important class of natural products which presents biological properties such as anticancer, neurotoxic, larvicidal and insecticidal. However, this is only the second report associated to its herbicidal activity. Their mechanisms of action on the light reactions of the photosynthesis were elucidated by polarographic techniques. Compounds inhibited the noncyclic electron transport on basal, phosphorylating, and uncoupled conditions from H2 O to methyl viologen (MV); therefore, they act as Hill reaction inhibitors. Studies on fluorescence of chlorophyll a (ChL a) indicated that they inhibited the acceptor side of PSII between P680 and PQ-pool, exactly as the commercial herbicide DCMU does.
Keywords: Annona coriacea; Hill reaction inhibitors; acetogenins; photosynthesis; photosystem II.
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