Anthraquinones isolated from Cassia tora (Leguminosae) seed show an antifungal property against phytopathogenic fungi.

The fungicidal activities of Cassia tora extracts and their active principles were determined against Botrytis cineria, Erysiphe graminis, Phytophthora infestans, Puccinia recondita, Pyricularia grisea, and Rhizoctonia solani using a whole plant method in vivo and were compared with synthetic fungicides and three commercially available anthraquinones. The responses varied with the plant pathogen tested. At 1 g/L, the chloroform fraction of C. tora showed a strong fungicidal activity against B. cinerea, E. graminis, P. infestans, and R. solani. Emodin, physcion, and rhein were isolated from the chloroform fraction using chromatographic techniques and showed strong and moderate fungicidal activities against B. cinerea, E. graminis, P. infestans, and R. solani. Furthermore, aloe-emodin showed strong and moderate fungicidal activities against B. cinerea and R. solani, respectively, but did not inhibit the growth of E. graminis, P. infestans, P. recondita, and Py. grisea. Little or no activity was observed for anthraquinone and anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid when tested at 1 g/L. Chlorothalonil and dichlofluanid as synthetic fungicides were active against P. infestans and B. cinerea at 0.05 g/L, respectively. Our results demonstrate the fungicidal actions of emodin, physcion, and rhein from C. tora.