Flavonoids as inhibitors of the formation of adenosine triphosphate in plant mitochondria

Abstract Various flavonoids inhibit the production of adenosine triphosphate in mitochondria of cucumber hypocotyls. Flavones are more active than flavanones. Substances lacking substituents in the B ring are especially potent inhibitors and aglycones are more active than glycosides. Substituted cinnamic acids are inactive. The structural details regulating the activity against ATP production are different from those determining the activity of flavonoids in the oxidation of indol-3-yl acetic acid and of ascorbic acid.