Sesquiterpenoids from Acorus calamus as germination inhibitors

In the search for germination inhibitors from plant sources, the methanol extract of Acori rhizoma (Acorus calamus) was shown to inhibit germination of lettuce seeds. From Acori rhizoma, eight new sesquiterpenes were isolated together with some known sesquiterpenes. These sesquiterpenoids have cadinane, acorane and eudesmane skeletons and their structures were elucidated from the spectral evidence. Some of the compounds showed potent anti-germination activity. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd