The effect on fungal growth of some 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinones

It has been shown that 2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinones decrease vegetative growth and inhibit spore germination of 12 species of fungi belonging to six diverse genera. The nature of the substituents at the 3 and 6 positions of the quinone ring also affected their growth-inhibitory properties; generally those substituents of lower polarity inhibited growth at lower concentrations. As in the case of cochliodinol, chemical modification of the quinone group, or the hydroxyl groups of the quinone ring, in compounds of the polyporic acid series, also led to loss of biological activity.