Speaker
Description
The present study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the allelopathic potential of pyrrolizidine alkaloids fraction obtained from aerial parts of Senecio anteuphorbium, an endemic plant growing in western Morocco and widely used in local folk medicine. S. anteuphorbium (syn. Kleinia anteuphorbium (L.) DC.), is a Moroccan medicinal plant locally known as "Achbardou," commonly employed in traditional medicine, especially in the Sousse region. Despite its extensive traditional usage, Senecio anteuphorbium remains relatively unexplored in terms of its chemical constituents and biological activities. Beyond the realms of chemical analysis, the focus of our study was directed towards investigating the allelopathic potential of the alkaloid fraction derived from this plant against the germination and growth of Lactuca sativa. The characterization of the metabolites was performed by Liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a mass-mass detector (MS-MS). The results of HPLC-MS/MS analysis of the alkaloid fraction showed the presence of 20 Pyrrolizidine alkaloids notably: senecionine, sarracine, senkirkine and platyphylline. The allelopathic effect was evaluated by studying the inhibition of the germination and growth of Lactuca sativa seeds. A potent allelopathic effect was recorded by the alkaloid fraction at a dose of 100 µg/mL, with almost a total inhibition of germination. All the findings suggest an interesting application of the plant as an alternative bioherbicide.
