Alkaloids from Sanguinaria Canadensis and Their Influence on Growth of Phymatotrichum Omnivorum.

Sanguinaria canadensis L. is reported by TAUBENHAUS and EZEKIEL (6) to be highly resistant to the Phymatotrichum root rot. It has long been of interest on account of its alkaloidal content. DANA (1) isolated the alkaloid, sanguinarine, from this species in 1827. Since that time chelerythrine, protopine, and jand y-homochelidonine have been isolated from the rhizome and roots (5). For these reasons this plant seems an exceptionally good object for investigation in connection with the theory of alkaloids as a possible factor in the resistance of some plants to Phymatotrichum omnivorum (Shear) Duggar (3, 4). In the work reported here certain alkaloids were isolated from crude extracts of roots and rhizomes of S. canadensis and incorporated in various concentrations into the substrates ordinarily used for the pure culture of P. omnivorum. The effect of these substances on the growth and development of the fungus are discussed.