The translocation of antibiotics in higher plants. 3. The estimation of griseofulvin relatives in plant tissue

Abstract

Analytical methods, similar to those used for griseofulvin, are described for the estimation in bean tissues and the treating solutions of 11 compounds chemically related to griseofulvin. The compounds studied comprised a diastereoisomer of griseofulvin, dechlorogriseofulvin, 3 homologues of griseofulvin, 7-chloro-4:6:4''-trimethoxy-6''-methylgris-3''-en-3:2''-dione, the parent acidic trione, its basic amino derivative, 2 neutral alcoholic reduction products of the trione, and grisan-3:4''-dione. The compounds were recovered and characterized chemically in the majority of cases where the analytical methods indicated their presence in the roots and shoots of treated plants. Three-Chloro-2-hydroxy-4:6-dimethoxybenzoic acid, a metabolite of 7-chloro-4:6:4''-trimethoxy-6''-methylgris-3''-en-3:2''-dione and mixtures of 4''-hydroxygrisan-3-ones and optically active grisan-3:4''-diols, metabolites of grisan-3:4''-dione, were also recovered and identified. Other metabolites of these 2 compounds, and a substance, increased production of which is associated with the degradation of certain griseofulvin relatives in shoot tissue, were detected but not identified.