Evaluation of antidesmone alkaloid as a photosynthesis inhibitor

Antidesmone, isolated from Waltheria brachypetala Turcz., owns special structural features as two α,β-unsaturated carbonyl groups and a side alkyl chain that can compete with the quinones involved in the pool of plastoquinones at photosystem II (PSII). In this work, we showed that the alkaloid is an inhibitor of Hill reaction and its target was located at the acceptor side of PSII. Studies of chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence showed a J-band that indicates direct action of antidesmone in accumulation of Q_A^- (reduced plastoquinone A) due to the electron transport blocked at the Q_B (plastoquinone B) level similar to DCMU. In vivo assays indicated that antidesmone is a selective post-emergent herbicide probe at 300μM by reducing the biomass production of Physalis ixacarpa plants. Furthermore, antidesmone also behaves as pre-emergent herbicide due to inhibit Physalis ixacarpa plant growth about 60%. Antidesmone, a natural product containing a 4(1H)-pyridones scaffold, will serve as a valuable tool in further development of a new class of herbicides.