Myristicin, safrole, and fagaramide as phytosynergists of xanthotoxin.

The methylenedioxyphenyl-containing (MDP) inhibitors of mixed-function oxidase detoxification enzymes, myristicin, safrole, fagaramide, and isosafrole, occur with xanthotoxin or other toxic furanocoumarins in plants of the families Umbelliferae and Rutaceae. All four MDP compounds have a synergistic effect on the toxicity of xanthotoxin toHeliothis zea. Myristicin also increased the phototoxicity of xanthotoxin in the presence of UV light. The term phytosynergist is used to describe plant compounds that are present at concentrations producing no toxic effect by themselves but have a synergistic effect on cooccurring toxins.