(+)-Isoamericanol A: A Plant Growth Inhibitor From Heliotropium indicum

A plant growth inhibitory substance was isolated from Heliotropium indicum by bioassay-guided purification and characterized to be (+)-isoamericanol A. (+)-Isoamericanol A significantly inhibited seedling growth of cress at a concentration greater than 0.1 mM. The concentrations of (+)-isoamericanol A required for 50% growth inhibition of cress roots and hypocotyls were 0.5 and 0.4 mM, respectively. This inhibition indicates that (+)-isoamericanol A had a growth inhibitory activity and may contribute to the allelopathic effect of H. indicum. This report is the first on the plant growth inhibitory activity of (+)-isoamericanol A as an allelopathic substance.