Essential Oil of Aristolochia trilobata: Synthesis, Routes of Exposure, Acute Toxicity, Binary Mixtures and Behavioral Effects on Leaf-Cutting Ants.

Molecules. 2017 Feb 25;22(3). pii: E335. doi: 10.3390/molecules22030335.

de Oliveira BM¹, Melo CR², Alves PB³, Santos AA⁴, Santos AC⁵, Santana AD⁶, Araújo AP⁷, Nascimento PE⁸, Blank AF⁹, Bacci L¹⁰.

Author information

1

Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. bruna_barreiros02@hotmail.com.

2

Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. carlisson_melo@hotmail.com.

3

Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. periclesbalves@gmail.com.

4

Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. abraaoufs@gmail.com.

5

Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. aneccelestinos.18@gmail.com.

6

Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. alisson.0910.silva@gmail.com.

7

Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 491000-000, Brazil. anatermes@gmail.com.

8

Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. pedro_ellison@hotmail.com.

9

Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. arie.blank@gmail.com.

10

Departamento de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Brazil. bacci.ufs@gmail.com.

Abstract

Plants of the genus Aristolochia have been frequently reported as important medicinal plants. Despite their high bioactive potential, to date, there are no reports of their effects on leaf-cutting ants. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the insecticidal activity of the essential oil of Aristolochia trilobata and its major components on Atta sexdens and Acromyrmex balzani, two species of leaf-cutting ants. The bioassays were performed regarding routes of exposure, acute toxicity, binary mixtures of the major components and behavioral effects. Twenty-five components were identified in the essential oil of A. trilobata using a gas chromatographic system equipped with a mass spectrometer and a flame ionization detector. The components found in higher proportions were sulcatyl acetate, limonene, p-cymene and linalool. The essential oil of A. trilobata and its individual major components were efficient against A. balzani and A. sexdens workers when applied by fumigation. These components showed fast and efficient insecticidal activity on ants. The components acted synergistically and additively on A. balzani and A. sexdens, respectively, and caused a strong repellency/irritability in the ants. Thus, our results demonstrate the great potential of the essential oil of A. trilobata and its major components for the development of new insecticides.

KEYWORDS:

Aristolochiaceae; Formicidae; additive effect; fumigation; insecticidal plant; monoterpenes; repellency; synergism

PMID:

28245600

DOI:

10.3390/molecules22030335

[Indexed for MEDLINE]

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