Abstract
THE terpene hydrocarbon (+)-limonene is widely distributed in nature and comprises more than 95 per cent of distilled citrus peel oils. As part of a study of limonene derivatives having possible biological activity, I reported the synthesis of a number of quaternary ammonium compounds which are plant growth retardants1,2. Several of these derivatives also inhibited human blood serum (pseudo) cholinesterase in tests for drug activity (my unpublished results). Here I report the discovery of a direct correlation between serum cholinesterase inhibition by these compounds and their ability to retard plant growth.
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References
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NEWHALL, W. Correlation of Pseudocholinesterase Inhibition and Plant Growth Retardation by Quaternary Ammonium Derivatives of (+)-Limonene. Nature 223, 965–966 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/223965a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/223965a0
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