Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants (Amaranthaceae) and Clausena anisata (Willd.) Hook. f. ex Benth. (Rutaceae) are two aromatic species traditionally used in Cameroon to repel and kill insects. The present work was carried out to substantiate this traditional use and to evaluate the possible incorporation in commercial botanical insecticides of their essential oils (EOs). The EOs were distilled from leaves of C. anisata and aerial parts of D. ambrosioides and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The insecticidal activity of both EOs was investigated against the filariasis vector, Culex quinquefasciatus, and the housefly, Musca domestica. As possible mode of action, the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by the two EOs was investigated as well. The D. ambrosioides EO was characterized by the monoterpene peroxide ascaridole (61.4%) and the aromatic p-cymene (29.0%), whereas the C. anisata EO was dominated by the phenylpropanoids (E)-anethole (64.6%) and (E)-methyl isoeugenol (16.1%). The C. anisata EO proved to be very toxic to third instar larvae of C. quinquefasciatus showing LC50 of 29.3 μl/l, whereas D. ambrosioides EO was more toxic to adults of M. domestica showing a LD50 of 51.7 μg/adult. The mixture of both EOs showed a significant synergistic effect against mosquito larvae with LC50 estimated as 19.3 μl/l, whereas this phenomenon was not observed upon application to M. domestica adults (LD50 = 75.9 μg/adult). Of the two EOs, the D. ambrosioides one provided a good inhibition of AChE (IC50 = 77 μg/ml), whereas C. anisata oil was not effective. These findings provide new evidences supporting the ethno-botanical use of these two Cameroonian plants, and their possible application even in synergistic binary blends, to develop new eco-friendly, safe and effective herbal insecticides.

• Klíčová slova
• Clausena anisata, Culex quinquefasciatus, Dysphania ambrosioides, Ethno-botanical pesticides, Musca domestica, St. Louis encephalitis,
• MeSH
• Clausena chemie   MeSH
• Culex účinky léků   MeSH
• insekticidy analýza   MeSH
• komáří přenašeči MeSH
• larva účinky léků   MeSH
• listy rostlin chemie   MeSH
• monoterpeny s cyklohexanovým kruhem MeSH
• monoterpeny chemie   MeSH
• moucha domácí účinky léků   MeSH
• oleje prchavé chemie   MeSH
• peroxidy chemie   MeSH
• plynová chromatografie s hmotnostně spektrometrickou detekcí MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Kamerun MeSH
• Názvy látek
• ascaridole MeSH Prohlížeč
• insekticidy MeSH
• monoterpeny s cyklohexanovým kruhem MeSH
• monoterpeny MeSH
• oleje prchavé MeSH
• peroxidy MeSH

The efficacy of 30 aromatic compounds and their mutual binary combinations was assessed for acute toxicity against the larvae Culex quinquefasciatus. Based on comparison of the lethal doses, thymol and p-cymene were selected as the most effective (LD50 = 18 and 21 mg L(-1), respectively, and LD90 = 25 and 30 mg L(-1), respectively). Although the LD50 for terpinolene and trans-anethole was also estimated at 21 mg L(-1), their LD90 was significantly higher compared to the substances above (245 and 34 mg L(-1), respectively). In total, 435 binary combinations were tested, of which 249 combinations showed a significant synergistic effect, while 74 combinations showed a significant antagonistic effect on mortality. Only nine substances were identified as being able to create a synergistic effect with more than 20 substances: limonene, trans-anethole, 4-allylanisole, carvacrol, isoeugenol, menthone, carvone, borneol, and camphor. The highest synergistic effect on larval mortality was achieved for the combinations: eugenol and isoeugenol, carvone and carvacrol, carvone and 4-allylanisole, carvone and α-terpineol, carvone and menthone, limonene and trans-anethole, limonene and menthone, α-pinene and menthone, β-citronellol and menthone, carvacrol and 4-allylanisole, carvacrol and terpineol, α-terpinene and trans-anethole, camphor and menthone, camphene and menthone, and 4-allylanisole and menthone. Significant differences between achieved mortality and the mutual mixing ratio were found for the five selected binary mixtures that had shown the most significant synergistic effect in the previous tests. The mixture of limonene and trans-anethole showed the highest mortality, with the mixing ratio 1:1; the mixture of eugenol and isoeugenol caused 90.2% mortality, with the mixing ratio 1:3. One hundred percent mortality was achieved if carvacrol was contained in a mixture with carvone in a ratio >2. After a comparison of all our results, based on our experiments, we can choose two pairs that caused mortality higher than 90% in concentrations lower than 20 mg L(-1): limonene and trans-anethole (with the mixing ratio 1:1), and carvone and carvacrol (with the mixing ratio 1:2-3). The information gained can thus be used in the development of new botanical insecticides based on essential oils (EOs) and particularly in the creation of formulations.

• MeSH
• Culex účinky léků   růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• insekticidy farmakologie   toxicita   MeSH
• larva účinky léků   fyziologie   MeSH
• lékové interakce MeSH
• oleje prchavé farmakologie   toxicita   MeSH
• synergismus léků MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• insekticidy MeSH
• oleje prchavé MeSH