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Effects of Root Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Hydrastis canadensis on Fusarium oxysporum Isolated from Hydrastis Root Tissue

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Abstract

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) is a popular medicinal plant distributed widely in North America. The rhizome, rootlets, and root hairs produce medicinally active alkaloids. Berberine, one of the Hydrastis alkaloids, has shown antifungal activity. The influence of a combination of the major Hydrastis alkaloids on the plant rhizosphere fungal ecology has not been investigated. A bioassay was developed to study the effect of goldenseal isoquinoline alkaloids on three Fusarium isolates, including the two species isolated from Hydrastis rhizosphere. The findings suggest that the Hydrastis root extract influences macroconidia germination, but that only the combined alkaloids—berberine, canadine, and hydrastine—appear to synergistically stimulate production of the mycotoxin zearalenone in the Fusarium oxysporum isolate. The Hydrastis root rhizosphere effect provided a selective advantage to the Fusarium isolates closely associated with the root tissue in comparison with the Fusarium isolate that had never been exposed to Hydrastis.

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Acknowledgements

I acknowledge Paul Strauss, for permission to wildcraft goldenseal on United Plant Savers land and Alex Johnson for contributions to the ELISA detection. This study is part of the Ph.D. dissertation research undertaken by Michael C. Tims.

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  1. Michael C. Tims

    Present address: Division of Analytical Chemistry, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8392, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899-8392, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Michael C. Tims

  2. F. Hebert School of Medicine, Uniform Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA

    Charisma Batista

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  1. Michael C. Tims
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  2. Charisma Batista
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Correspondence to Michael C. Tims.

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Tims, M.C., Batista, C. Effects of Root Isoquinoline Alkaloids from Hydrastis canadensis on Fusarium oxysporum Isolated from Hydrastis Root Tissue. J Chem Ecol 33, 1449–1455 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9319-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9319-9

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