Phytotoxic Effects of Plant Essential Oils: A Systematic Review and Structure-Activity Relationship Based on Chemometric Analyses

Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad; Abd El-Nasser G. El Gendy; Abdulaziz M. Assaeed; Saud L. Al-Rowaily; Abdullah S. Alharthi; Tarik A. Mohamed; Mahmoud I. Nassar; Yaser H. Dewir; Abdelsamed I. Elshamy

doi:10.3390/plants10010036

Plants (Dec 2020)

Phytotoxic Effects of Plant Essential Oils: A Systematic Review and Structure-Activity Relationship Based on Chemometric Analyses

Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad,
Abd El-Nasser G. El Gendy,
Abdulaziz M. Assaeed,
Saud L. Al-Rowaily,
Abdullah S. Alharthi,
Tarik A. Mohamed,
Mahmoud I. Nassar,
Yaser H. Dewir,
Abdelsamed I. Elshamy

Affiliations

Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Abd El-Nasser G. El Gendy: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Department, National Research Centre, Cairo 11865, Egypt
Abdulaziz M. Assaeed: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Saud L. Al-Rowaily: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah S. Alharthi: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Tarik A. Mohamed: Chemistry of Medicinal Plants Department, National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
Mahmoud I. Nassar: Chemistry of Natural Compounds Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
Yaser H. Dewir: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Abdelsamed I. Elshamy: Chemistry of Natural Compounds Department, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010036
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 1
p. 36

Abstract

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Herbicides are natural or synthetic chemicals used to control unwanted plants (weeds). To avoid the harmful effects of synthetic herbicides, considerable effort has been devoted to finding alternative products derived from natural sources. Essential oils (EOs) from aromatic plants are auspicious source of bioherbicides. This review discusses phytotoxic EOs and their chemical compositions as reported from 1972 to 2020. Using chemometric analysis, we attempt to build a structure-activity relationship between phytotoxicity and EO chemical composition. Data analysis reveals that oxygenated terpenes, and mono- and sesquiterpenes, in particular, play principal roles in the phytotoxicity of EOs. Pinene, 1,8 cineole, linalool, and carvacrol are the most effective monoterpenes, with significant phytotoxicity evident in the EOs of many plants. Caryophyllene and its derivatives, including germacrene, spathulenol, and hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, are the most effective sesquiterpenes. EOs rich in iridoids (non-terpene compounds) also exhibit allelopathic activity. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the phytotoxic activity of these compounds in pure forms, determine their activity in the field, evaluate their safety, and assess their modes of action.

Published in Plants

ISSN: 2223-7747 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Botany
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/plants

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