Several studies have been carried out on the isolation, structural elucidation, and
evaluation of pharmacological and toxicological activities of alkaloids from Prosopis juliflora [24, 30, 53]. Among the activities already described for the mesquite,
alkaloids could be highlighted the likely function of allelochemicals. Prosopis are
rich source of piperidine alkaloids [54], such as juliflorine, julifloricine and
julifloridine, juliprosine, juliprosinene and juliflorinine, 3
0 -oxojuliprosopine,
secojuliprosopinol, 3-oxojuliprosine, and 3
0 -oxo-juliprosine and julifloravizole [14].
These alkaloids are complex structures derived from L-lisine and have been isolated
from leaves, stem, seeds, pods, roots, and flowers [54, 55]. Among these,
juliprosopine was found to be the major alkaloid in leaves; the abundance and
diversity of alkaloids in aerial parts of the plant may be attributed to the protective
mechanism of the plant against animals and pathogens [54].
The allelopathic potential of P. juliflora alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids, has
been demonstrated through the use of extracts from their tissues and the evaluation
of their effects against germination and plant growth (Table 1), as well as its action
against fungi responsible for the infection and loss of other plant species. One of
the pioneering studies of this issue was accomplished by Nakano, Nakajima, Fujii,
Shigemori, Hasegawa [56] who isolated alkaloids from Prosopis leaves and
demonstrated their effect on the growth of cress seedlings. The alkaloids 3
0 -oxojuliprosopine and secojuliprosopinal showed inhibitory effects on root and shoot
growth of cress in a dose-dependent manner and a mixture (1:1, w/w) of 3-oxojuliprosine and 3
0 -oxo-juliprosine had a much stronger inhibition on both the
root and shoot growth. Furthermore, the alkaloids from P. juliflora inhibited
shoot and root growth of monocotyledonous plants, barnyard grass, rice and
timothy grass, dicotyledonous plants, amaranth, lettuce, and cress. All alkaloids
tested showed inhibitory growth against both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants [34].
Aqueous extracts of Prosopis juliflora leaves have also showed insecticide
potential against whiteflies from Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Their
activity was attributed to alkaloids detected on extract that promoted 43.6% of
mortality in eggs and 75.1% in nymphs in relation to control [47]. Alkaloids from
P. juliflora displayed antifungal activity against several species, such as those of
genus Fusarium, Drechslera, Alternaria, and Colletotrichum [48, 57]. Among
different extracts from Prosopis leaves tested against the fungi Alternaria alternata,
methanol and ethanol extracts demonstrated highly significant antifungal activity by
inhibition of the mycelial growth [48]. Fungus species such as genus of Alternaria,
Curvularia, Fusarium, Drechslera, and Phoma cause grain mold disease in sorghum
(Sorghum bicolor L.), so they destroy grains during storage thereby rendering this
Poaceae species unfit for human consumption. Alkaloid-enriched extracts from
Prosopis showed a function of pesticide and showed a significant percentage of
reduced incidence of biodeterioration, with an increase in seed germination and
seedling vigor [48]. In the same way, Prosopis juliflora exhibited superior inhibitory
effect against the fungi Colletotrichum musae, which causes anthracnose disease in
bananas; however, further studies need to be realized to identify the active compounds responsible from the extracts with fungicidal potential [57].
22 Prosopis juliflora: Phytochemical, Toxicological, and Allelochemicals
527
evaluation of pharmacological and toxicological activities of alkaloids from Prosopis juliflora [24, 30, 53]. Among the activities already described for the mesquite,
alkaloids could be highlighted the likely function of allelochemicals. Prosopis are
rich source of piperidine alkaloids [54], such as juliflorine, julifloricine and
julifloridine, juliprosine, juliprosinene and juliflorinine, 3
0 -oxojuliprosopine,
secojuliprosopinol, 3-oxojuliprosine, and 3
0 -oxo-juliprosine and julifloravizole [14].
These alkaloids are complex structures derived from L-lisine and have been isolated
from leaves, stem, seeds, pods, roots, and flowers [54, 55]. Among these,
juliprosopine was found to be the major alkaloid in leaves; the abundance and
diversity of alkaloids in aerial parts of the plant may be attributed to the protective
mechanism of the plant against animals and pathogens [54].
The allelopathic potential of P. juliflora alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids, has
been demonstrated through the use of extracts from their tissues and the evaluation
of their effects against germination and plant growth (Table 1), as well as its action
against fungi responsible for the infection and loss of other plant species. One of
the pioneering studies of this issue was accomplished by Nakano, Nakajima, Fujii,
Shigemori, Hasegawa [56] who isolated alkaloids from Prosopis leaves and
demonstrated their effect on the growth of cress seedlings. The alkaloids 3
0 -oxojuliprosopine and secojuliprosopinal showed inhibitory effects on root and shoot
growth of cress in a dose-dependent manner and a mixture (1:1, w/w) of 3-oxojuliprosine and 3
0 -oxo-juliprosine had a much stronger inhibition on both the
root and shoot growth. Furthermore, the alkaloids from P. juliflora inhibited
shoot and root growth of monocotyledonous plants, barnyard grass, rice and
timothy grass, dicotyledonous plants, amaranth, lettuce, and cress. All alkaloids
tested showed inhibitory growth against both monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants [34].
Aqueous extracts of Prosopis juliflora leaves have also showed insecticide
potential against whiteflies from Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Their
activity was attributed to alkaloids detected on extract that promoted 43.6% of
mortality in eggs and 75.1% in nymphs in relation to control [47]. Alkaloids from
P. juliflora displayed antifungal activity against several species, such as those of
genus Fusarium, Drechslera, Alternaria, and Colletotrichum [48, 57]. Among
different extracts from Prosopis leaves tested against the fungi Alternaria alternata,
methanol and ethanol extracts demonstrated highly significant antifungal activity by
inhibition of the mycelial growth [48]. Fungus species such as genus of Alternaria,
Curvularia, Fusarium, Drechslera, and Phoma cause grain mold disease in sorghum
(Sorghum bicolor L.), so they destroy grains during storage thereby rendering this
Poaceae species unfit for human consumption. Alkaloid-enriched extracts from
Prosopis showed a function of pesticide and showed a significant percentage of
reduced incidence of biodeterioration, with an increase in seed germination and
seedling vigor [48]. In the same way, Prosopis juliflora exhibited superior inhibitory
effect against the fungi Colletotrichum musae, which causes anthracnose disease in
bananas; however, further studies need to be realized to identify the active compounds responsible from the extracts with fungicidal potential [57].
22 Prosopis juliflora: Phytochemical, Toxicological, and Allelochemicals
527