COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON ARTEMISININ, 2,4-D, AND GLYPHOSATE

Artemisinin is an antimalarial agent isolated from Artemisia annua. Recently, it has been demonstrated that this allelochemical is a selective phytotoxin. A comparative study was made between artemisinin and two commonly used herbicides, 2,4-D and glyphosate. At 5-mu-M all these compounds inhibited root induction in mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) seedling cuttings. Artemisinin exerted the same level of inhibition in growth as glyphosate. However, at the enzymatic level, artemisinin, unlike 2,4-D and glyphosate, inhibited peroxidase synthesis and showed no direct effect on tyrosinase activity. Both 2,4-D and glyphosate showed direct inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity. Only 2,4-D increased to a high level the synthesis and secretion of peroxidase.