Abstract
Much has been written in the field of agrochemicals about the application of phenoxy compounds as herbicidal agents. The illustrious history of these agents includes their accelerated development by the Allies for use during World War II. Among the most famous of these agents are 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and its congener, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T). Because of their high specific activities, these compounds became templates for the production of a number of plant growth regulators such as Fruitone and Tomato Bloom. Interestingly, the pharmaceutical industry was developing a group of phenoxy derivatives which proved to be useful in the treatment of type III hyperlipoprotenemia, a condition where triglycerides and total cholesterol levels are elevated. The most recognized agent in this pharmaceutical class is clofibrate which inhibits sn-glyceryl-3 phosphate acyltransferase, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of acetate to mevalonate. Furthermore, its mechanism of action also includes inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMGCoA) reductase. In addition, the aftermath of World War II served as a catalyst in the development of the benzodiazepines, a well recognized pharmaceutical class possessing sedative/hypnotic and tranquilizing properties. It is of interest to note that these agents are actually allelopathic natural products whose chemical structures were ignored until the development of Valium as a pharmaceutical agent. Had these natural product chemical templates not been relegated to library book shelves, they may have served a useful purpose in their development as medicinals. Recently, some benzodiazepines have been shown to possess agrochemical properties including inhibition against Phytophthora infestans, late blight of potato. The separate, but distinct, agrochemical and pharmaceutical development of various classes of agents will be discussed.
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Cutler, S.J., Hoagland, R.E., Cutler, H.G. (2000). Evaluation of selected pharmaceuticals as potential herbicides: bridging the gap between agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. In: Narwal, S.S., Hoagland, R.E., Dilday, R.H., Reigosa, M.J. (eds) Allelopathy in Ecological Agriculture and Forestry. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4173-4_9
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