Novel Anthranilic Diamide Scaffolds Containing N-Substituted Phenylpyrazole as Potential Ryanodine Receptor Activators

To discover potent insecticides targeting ryanodine receptors (RyRs), a series of novel anthranilic diamides analogues (12a-12u) containing N-substituted phenylpyrazole were designed and synthesized. These compounds were characterized by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and HRMS, and the structure of compound 12u was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Their insecticidal activities indicated that these compounds displayed moderate to excellent activities. In particular, 12i showed 100 and 37% larvicidal activities against oriental armyworm (Mythimna separata) at 0.25 and 0.05 mg L(-1), equivalent to that of chlorantraniliprole (100%, 0.25 mg L(-1); and 33%, 0.05 mg L(-1)). The activity of 12i against diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) was 95% at 0.05 mg L(-1), whereas the control was 100% at 0.05 mg L(-1). The calcium-imaging technique experiment results showed that the effects of 12i on the intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca(2+)]i) in neurons were concentration-dependent. After the central neurons of Helicoverpa armigera were dyed by loading with fluo-5N and treated with 12i, the free calcium released in endoplasmic reticulum indicated the target of compound 12i is RyRs or IP3Rs. The activation of RyRs by natural ryanodine completely blocked the calcium release induced by 12i, which indicated that RyRs in the central neurons of H. armigera third-instar larvae is the possible target of compound 12i.

Synthesis and insecticidal activity of β-dihydroagarofuran ether analogues

BACKGROUND

1β, 2β, 4α, 6α, 8β, 9α, 12-hepthydroxyl-β-dihydroagarofuran is the main skeleton of β-dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpenoids, which exhibit excellent insecticidal activity. To study further the structure-activity relationship of β-dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpenoids towards finding novel botanical pesticides, two series of new structurally modified ether analogues were designed and synthesised, and their insecticidal activities were evaluated.

RESULTS

Twenty-two ether derivatives were synthesised using 1β, 2β, 4α, 6α, 8β, 9α, 12-hepthydroxyl-β-dihydroagarofuran as starting material. Bioassay results indicated that most of the derivatives, particularly compounds 5.1.2, 5.1.3, 5.1.7, 5.2.3, 5.2.6 and 5.2.7, exhibited significant insecticidal activity against the third-instar larvae of the oriental armyworm Mythimna separata. Most importantly, compound 5.2.7 showed the lowest LD50 value of 29.2 µg g(-1) among these synthesised compounds, which provides some important hints for further design, synthesis and structural modification of β-dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpenoids towards developing novel botanical insecticides.

CONCLUSION

The structure-activity relationship illustrated that the moiety at the 1-position affected the insecticidal activity significantly, and that specifically the derivatives with two or three carbon atoms at the 1-position showed promising insecticidal activity, with mortality over 60%, while those with o-F-Bn and p-F-Bn at the 6-position showed similar activity.

Exploration of Novel Botanical Insecticide Leads: Synthesis and Insecticidal Activity of β-Dihydroagarofuran Derivatives

The discovery of novel leads and new mechanisms of action is of vital significance to the development of pesticides. To explore lead compounds for botanical insecticides, 77 β-dihydroagarofuran derivatives were designed and synthesized. Their structures were mainly confirmed by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, DEPT-135°, IR, MS, and HRMS. Their insecticidal activity was evaluated against the third-instar larvae of Mythimna separata Walker, and the results indicated that, of these derivatives, eight exhibited more promising insecticidal activity than the positive control, celangulin-V. Particularly, compounds 5.7, 6.6, and 6.7 showed LD50 values of 37.9, 85.1, and 21.1 μg/g, respectively, which were much lower than that of celangulin-V (327.6 μg/g). These results illustrated that β-dihydroagarofuran ketal derivatives can be promising lead compounds for developing novel mechanism-based and highly effective botanical insecticides. Moreover, some newly discovered structure-activity relationships are discussed, which may provide some important guidance for insecticide development.

Insecticidal Activity and Insect Repellency of Four Species of Sea Lily (Comatulida: Comatulidae) From Taiwan

The methanol and ethyl acetate (EA) extracts of four species of sea lily (Himerometra magnipinna, Comaster multifidus, Comanthina sp., and Comatella maculata) were evaluated for their insecticidal activity against Yellow-fever mosquito larvae (Aedes aegypti) and their repellency against adult Asian Tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus). The 24-hr minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) data revealed that the extracts from H. magnipinna and the C. maculata were the most active, killing mosquito larvae at 12.5 ppm. The toxicity of the extracts from these four sea lilies in descending order was H. magnipinna (12.5 ppm), C. maculata (12.5 ppm), C. multifidus (100 ppm), and Comanthina sp. (200 ppm). Furthermore, no significant difference in toxicity was found using either EA or methanol as the extraction solvent. The MIC at 12.5 ppm is promising as an insecticide lead. The repellency study results show that EA is a better solvent for one species (H. magnipinna), but the methanol is a better solvent overall. The repellency of these sea lily extracts in descending order was Comanthina sp. MeOH (ED50 at 0.32%), followed by H. magnipinna EA (ED50 at 0.38%), C. multifidus MeOH (ED50 at 0.57%), C. maculata MeOH (ED50 at 0.76%), C. multifidus EA (ED50 at 1.25%), and H. magnipinna MeOH (ED50 at 1.67%). A compound with ED50 <0.5% is considered to be a promising repellant. Among the studied sea lilies, both Comanthina sp. and H. magnipinna have potential to be further developed as mosquito control agents due to their favorable toxicity and repellency.

Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus Derivatives: Extraction Methods and Bioactivity Against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Plant-based insecticides can play an important role in integrated insect pest management (IPM), especially in protecting stored grains. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioactivity of derivatives (powder, ethanolic extract, and essential oil (EO)) from the leaves of Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Myrtaceae), a Brazilian native species, against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), the main insect pest of stored corn. The powder and essential oil prepared from leaves showed a repellent effect. Moreover, the EO exhibited promising insecticidal activity through residual contact (LC50 = 1522 mg kg(-1)) and significantly decreased the F 1 progeny and the percentage of damaged grains. However, the essential oil obtained from P. pseudocaryophyllus leaves did not result in significant mortality of S. zeamais adults after 72 h of exposure by fumigation in concentrations up to 400 μL L(-1) of air. Based on GC-MS analysis, 20 compounds were identified in the essential oil of P. pseudocaryophyllus leaves, being chavibetol (38.14%), methyl eugenol (11.35%), and terpinolene (9.17%) as the major constituents. Essential oil from P. pseudocaryophyllus leaves is an interesting source of compounds with grain-protectant properties and should be analyzed in future studies aiming to develop new bioinsecticides to use in the IPM of stored grains.

Design, Synthesis, and Acaricidal/Insecticidal Activities of Oxazoline Derivatives Containing a Sulfur Ether Moiety

On the basis of etoxazole, a series of novel 2-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-4-(4-substituted phenyl)-1,3-oxazolines containing a sulfur ether moiety were designed and synthesized via the key intermediate N-(1-(4-(bromomethyl)phenyl)-2-chloroethyl)-2,6-difluorobenzamide. The bioassay results showed that most of these designed target compounds exhibited excellent acaricidal activity against both the eggs and larvae of Tetranychus cinnabarinus, especially the eggs. Among compounds with high activity against the eggs of mites, the LC50 values of 2, 11, 17, and 19 were 0.0003, 0.0002, 0.0005, and 0.0008 mg L(-1), respectively, much lower than that of etoxazole (0.0089 mg L(-1)). Compound 2 was chosen to evaluate the acaricidal activity in the field, and the results displayed that at a concentration of 22 mg kg(-1), 2 had a much better control effect than etoxazole against both T. cinnabarinus and P. latus on eggplant. Some compounds also showed good insecticidal activities against oriental armyworm and mosquito. On the basis of our research, the newly found structure-activity relationship may guide the development of new acaricides/pesticides that are required in the agriculture market.

Synthesis, insecticidal activities and structure-activity relationship studies of novel anthranilic diamides containing pyridylpyrazole-4-carboxamide

BACKGROUND

Anthranilic diamide insecticides containing pyridylpyrazole-5-carboxamide are extremely important in modern agriculture. New structurally modified compounds with high insecticidal activity were discovered by designing a series of novel pyridylpyrazole-4-carboxamides (9I to 9IV) and pyridylpyrazole-4-carboxamides (10I to 10IV), the latter designed by the cyclisation of two amides. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) between the two series is of interest.

RESULTS

Two series of novel anthranilic diamides containing pyridylpyrazole-4-carboxamide were synthesised and characterised via melting point, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, MS and elemental analyses. The insecticidal activities of these compounds against Plutella xylostella were evaluated. At a concentration of 100 mg L(-1), the compounds with unmodified amide moieties (9I to 9IV) exhibited much better larvicidal activities than the other derivative compounds (10I to 10IV). Most of the compounds 9I to 9IV showed over 90% larvicidal activity at 100 mg L(-1). Furthermore, compounds 9IIIa, 9IIIc, 9IIId and 9IVd displayed significant insecticidal activity at 10 mg L(-1). Density functional theory (DFT) calculation was carried out to provide more information regarding SAR.

CONCLUSION

Thirty-two new anthranlic diamides containing pyridylpyrazole-4-carboxamide were designed and obtained. SAR analysis and DFT calculation results revealed that the amide moiety had a very important effect on bioactivity. This work has provided information that could aid investigations of novel insecticides.

Insecticidal Constituents and Activity of Alkaloids from Cynanchum mongolicum

Based on MS and NMR data and bioassay-guided tracing, three insecticidal alkaloids I, II and III from Cynanchum mongolicum were identified to be antofine N-oxide, antofine and tylophorine. Alkaloid I was more toxic than alkaloids II and III, but they were less active against Spodoptera litura than total alkaloids. The contact toxicity from these alkaloids against the aphid Lipaphis erysimi was significant, as the 24 h-LC₅₀ values of alkaloids I, II, III and total alkaloids were 292.48, 367.21, 487.791 and 163.52 mg/L, respectively. The development disruption of S. litura larvae was tested, the pupation and emergence rates of S. litura decreased and the acute mortality of S. litura increased significantly by day 3 after being injected in their body cavity with 10–40 mg/L of total alkaloid. The ecdysone titer of treated S. litura larvae and prepupae declined with increasing alkaloid concentration. The alkaloids of Cynanchum mongolicum are potential insect growth inhibitors.

The chitinase C gene PsChiC from Pseudomonas sp. and its synergistic effects on larvicidal activity

Pseudomonas sp. strain TXG6-1, a chitinolytic gram-negative bacterium, was isolated from a vegetable field in Taixing city, Jiangsu Province, China. In this study, a Pseudomonas chitinase C gene (PsChiC) was isolated from the chromosomal DNA of this bacterium using a pair of specific primers. The PsChiC gene consisted of an open reading frame of 1443 nucleotides and encoded 480 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 51.66 kDa. The deduced PsChiC amino acid sequence lacked a signal sequence and consisted of a glycoside hydrolase family 18 catalytic domain responsible for chitinase activity, a fibronectin type III-like domain (FLD) and a C-terminal chitin-binding domain (ChBD). The amino acid sequence of PsChiCshowed high sequence homology (> 95%) with chitinase C from Serratia marcescens. SDS-PAGE showed that the molecular mass of chitinase PsChiC was 52 kDa. Chitinase assays revealed that the chitobiosidase and endochitinase activities of PsChiCwere 51.6- and 84.1-fold higher than those of pET30a, respectively. Although PsChiC showed little insecticidal activity towards Spodoptera litura larvae, an insecticidal assay indicated that PsChiC increased the insecticidal toxicity of SpltNPV by 1.78-fold at 192 h and hastened death. These results suggest that PsChiC from Pseudomonas sp. could be useful in improving the pathogenicity of baculoviruses.

Synthesis of Novel Oxime Sulfonate Derivatives of 2'(2',6')-(Di)chloropicropodophyllotoxins as Insecticidal Agents

To discover novel natural-product-based pesticidal agents, we prepared a series of oxime sulfonate derivatives of 2'(2',6')-(Di)chloropicropodophyllotoxins by structural modification of podophyllotoxin. Their structures were well-characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), optical rotation, and melting point. Moreover, the key steric structure of compound 5f was unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Additionally, their insecticidal activity was evaluated at 1 mg/mL against the pre-third-instar larvae of oriental armyworm (Mythimna separata Walker), a typical lepidopteran pest. Among all derivatives, compounds 4c, 5c, and 5d exhibited more promising insecticidal activity, with the final mortality rates greater than 60%, when compared to their precursor podophyllotoxin and the positive control, toosendanin. It demonstrated that introduction of the chlorine atom at the C-2' or C-2',6' position on the E ring of picropodophyllotoxin or oxime sulfonate derivatives of picropodophyllotoxin was important for the insecticidal activity and introduction of a halogen (e.g., fluorine, chlorine, or bromine) atom-substituted phenylsulfonyl group on the oxime fragment of 2'(2',6')-(di)chloropicropodophyllones could lead to more promising compounds.

Partial Characterization of Venom from the Colombian Spider Phoneutria Boliviensis (Aranae:Ctenidae)

We report on the first studies on the characterization of venom from Phoneutria boliviensis (Aranae:Ctenidae) (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897), done with Colombian species. After the electrostimulation extraction process, the venom showed physicochemical properties corresponding to a colorless and water-soluble liquid with a density of 0.86 mg/mL and 87% aqueous content. P. boliviensis venom and RP-HPLC fractions showed hemolytic activity and hydrolyzed the synthetic substrate 4-nitro-3-octanoyloxy-benzoic acid, indicating the presence of phospholipases A₂ enzymes. The electrophoretic profile showed an important protein content with molecular masses below 14 kDa, and differences between male and female protein content were also revealed. The RP-HPLC venom profile exposes differences between males and female content consistent with the electrophoretic profile. Five fractions collected from the RP-HPLC displayed significant larvicidal activity. Mass analysis indicates the presence of peptides ranging from 1047.71 to 3278.07 Da. Two peptides, Ctenitoxin-Pb48 and Ctenitoxin-Pb53, were partially identified using HPLC-nESI-MS/MS, which showed a high homology with other Ctenitoxins (family Tx3) from Phoneutria nigriventer, Phoneutria keyserlingi and Phoneutria reidyi affecting voltage-gated calcium receptors (Cav 1, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3) and NMDA-glutamate receptors.

4,5-Substituted 3-Isoxazolols with Insecticidal Activity Act as Competitive Antagonists of Housefly GABA Receptors

The insect GABA receptor (GABAR), which is composed of five RDL subunits, represents an important target for insecticides. A series of 4,5-disubstituted 3-isoxazolols, including muscimol analogues, were synthesized and examined for their activities against four splice variants (ac, ad, bc, and bd) of housefly GABARs expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Muscimol was a more potent agonist than GABA in all four splice variants, whereas synthesized analogues did not exhibit agonism but rather antagonism in housefly GABARs. The introduction of bicyclic aromatic groups at the 4-position of muscimol and the simultaneous replacement of the aminomethyl group with a carbamoyl group at the 5-position to afford six 4-aryl-5-carbamoyl-3-isoxazolols resulted in compounds that exhibited significantly enhanced antagonism with IC50 values in the low micromolar range in the ac variant. The inhibition of GABA-induced currents by 100 μM analogues was approximately 1.5-4-fold greater in the ac and bc variants than in the ad and bd variants. 4-(3-Biphenylyl)-5-carbamoyl-3-isoxazolol displayed competitive antagonism, with IC50 values of 30, 34, 107, and 96 μM in the ac, bc, ad, and bd variants, respectively, and exhibited moderate insecticidal activity against houseflies, with an LD50 value of 5.6 nmol/fly. These findings suggest that these 3-isoxazolol analogues are novel lead compounds for the design and development of insecticides that target the orthosteric site of housefly GABARs.

The Toxicity and Detoxifying Mechanism of Cycloxaprid and Buprofezin in Controlling Sogatella furcifera (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

The effects of cycloxaprid (a modified neonicotinoid insecticide) and buprofezin (a thiadiazine insecticide) on mortality of the white-backed planthopper (WBPH), Sogatella furcifera, were determined in laboratory assays. Cycloxaprid killed WBPH nymphs and adults but buprofezin killed only nymphs, and cycloxaprid acted faster than buprofezin. One day after infestation, mortality of third-instar nymphs was >65% with cycloxaprid at 125 mg liter(-1) but was <38% with buprofezin at 148 mg liter(-1). By the 4th day after infestation, however, control of nymphs by the two insecticides was similar, and cycloxaprid at 125 mg liter(-1) caused ≥ 80% mortality of adults but buprofezin at 148 mg liter(-1) (the highest rate tested) caused almost no adult mortality. LC50 values for cycloxaprid were lowest with nymphs, intermediate with adult males, and highest with adult females. Although buprofezin was slower acting than cycloxaprid, its LC50 for nymphs 5 d after infestation was 3.79-fold lower than that of cycloxaprid. Mean carboxylesterase (CarE) specific activity of nymphal WBPH treated with cycloxaprid and buprofezin was higher than that of control, but there was no significant difference between cycloxaprid and control (no insecticide), and it was significantly higher for buprofezin than those of cycloxaprid and control. For glutathione S-transferase and mixed function oxygenase, the specific activity of nymphal WBPH treated with buprofezin was significantly higher than those of cycloxaprid and control, too.

Bioactivity of Essential Oil of Zingiber purpureum Rhizomes and Its Main Compounds against Two Stored Product Insects

The insecticidal and repellent activities of the essential oil extracted from Zingiber purpureum Roscoe rhizomes were evaluated against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Lasioderma serricorne (L.) adults. During our screening program for agrochemicals from Chinese medicinal herbs and wild plants, the essential oil of Z. purpureum rhizomes was found to possess strong contact toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne adults, with LD50 values of 39.0 and 16.3 µg per adult, respectively, and also showed strong fumigant toxicity against the two grain storage insects with LC50 values of 13.6 and 9.3 mg/liter of air, respectively. The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main components of the essential oil were identified to be sabinene (48.1%), terpinen-4-ol (25.1%), and γ-terpinene (6.7%), followed by α-terpinene (4.3%), β-thujene (3.4%), and α-phellandrene (2.7%). Sabinene, terpinen-4-ol, and γ-terpinene were separated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography. Terpinen-4-ol showed the strongest contact toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne (LD50=19.7 and 5.4 µg per adult, respectively) and also the strongest fumigant toxicity against T. castaneum and L. serricorne (LC50=3.7 and 1.3 mg/liter of air, respectively). Otherwise, sabinene and terpinen-4-ol were strongly repellent against T. castaneum as well as the essential oil, while γ-terpinene exhibited weaker repellency against T. castaneum compared with the positive control, DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide). Moreover, only the essential oil exhibited strong repellency against L. serricorne, the three compounds exhibited weaker repellency against L. serricorne relative to DEET.

Polyenylcyclopropane carboxylic esters with high insecticidal activity

BACKGROUND

Pyrethroids are synthetic derivatives of naturally occurring pyrethrum. These molecules are widely used in agriculture for ant, fly and mosquito control and for lawn and garden care. Pyrethroids are the optically active esters of 2,2-dimethyl-3-(2-methylpropenyl)-cyclopropane carboxylic acid, also known as chrysanthemic acid. However, their intense use has resulted in the development of resistance in many insect species. Herein, specific structural modifications of the pyrethroid scaffold and their effect on insecticidal activity, especially on resistant pests strains, are reported.

RESULTS

The exposure to (1R)-trans-(E/Z)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzyl-3-(buta-1,3-dienyl)-2,2-dimethyl cyclopropanecarboxylate and its diastereomers produced 100% mortality in yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti), house mosquitoes (Culex quinquefasciatus) and houseflies (Musca domestica). Moreover, this compound provided complete knockdown within 15 min of exposure against cockroaches (Blattella germanica) and maintained an excellent knockdown activity at 10 days after treatment.

CONCLUSION

Novel pyrethroid derivatives obtained from 2,2-dimethyl-3-(2-methylpropenyl)-cyclopropanecarboxylic acid are described. These derivatives display high insecticidal activity, a wide spectrum of action and no toxicity towards mammalians. The proposed synthetic procedures are highly efficient and inexpensive, and therefore suitable for industrial scale-up.

Construction of an immobilised acetylcholinesterase column and its application in screening insecticidal constituents from Magnolia officinalis

BACKGROUND

Application of a matrix-immobilised target enzyme for screening inhibitors is widely used in drug development, but there are few studies in insecticide discovery. In this paper, an economical and effective immobilised acetylcholinesterase (AChE) column was prepared using the sol-gel embedment method, which was further combined with high-performance liquid chromatography for screening the AChE inhibitors and insecticidal compounds from complex natural products.

RESULTS

AChE inhibitory constituents magnolol and honokiol were isolated from the ethanol extract of Magnolia officinalis, with IC50 values of 0.069 and 0.057 mM respectively. In an in vivo bioassay, magnolol and honokiol showed insecticidal activity against Nilaparvata lugens, with LC50 values of 0.324 and 0.137 mM, which are comparable with that of commonly used insecticide chlorpyrifos (0.233 mM). Moreover, molecular docking was carried out against a homology model of N. lugens AChE. The complexes showed that magnolol and honokiol placed themselves nicely into the active site of the enzyme and exhibited an interaction energy that was in accordance with our activity profile data.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate that magnolol and honokiol have great applied potential to be developed as natural insecticides, and an immobilised AChE column is very useful as a rapid screening tool for target enzymes towards potent inhibitors.

β-Glucosidase involvement in the bioactivation of glycosyl conjugates in plants: synthesis and metabolism of four glycosidic bond conjugates in vitro and in vivo

Mobile glucose-pesticide conjugates in the phloem are often restricted by decreases in biological activity. However, plants can bioactivate endogenous glucosides, which are assumed as able to bioactivate exogenous conjugates. In this study, four glycosidic bonds (O-, S-, N-, and C-glycosidic bonds) of glucose-pesticide conjugates were designed and synthesized, and then metabolism assays were carried out in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that β-glucosidases played a role in the hydrolysis of O-glycosidic bond conjugates in Ricinus communis L. The liberated aglycons possessed insecticidal activities against Plutella xylostella L. and Spodoptera litura F. These results could help establish methods of circumventing the mutual exclusivity of phloem mobility and biological activity by hydrolyzing endogenous β-glucosidases.

Insecticidal activities of chiral N-trifluoroacetyl sulfilimines as potential ryanodine receptor modulators

This is the first report of novel chiral N-trifluoroacetyl sulfilimines during research for new environmentally benign and ecologically safe novel insecticides with new modes of action. Four series of phthalamides containing 20 new structures were designed, synthesized, and evaluated against oriental armyworm (Pseudaletia separata Walker) and diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella (L.)) for their insecticidal activities. The target compounds were established by corresponding (1)H NMR, HRMS (or elemental analysis), X-ray diffraction analysis, and optical polarimetry. Introduction of chiral N-trifluoroacetyl sulfiliminyl moieties into the new scaffolds showed that some target compounds possessed impressive activities as commercial flubendiamide. These N-trifluoroacetyl sulfilimines exhibited the sequence of activity against oriental armyworm as (Sc, Ss) ≥ (Sc, Rs) ≫ (Rc, Rs) > (Rc, Ss), in which the chiral carbon influenced the activities stronger than sulfur. For diamondback moth, compounds If, IIa, and IIc exhibited even stronger activity than flubendiamide; especially If displayed a death rate of 100% at 10(-6) mg L(-1), much better than that of flubendiamide (0% at 10(-4) mg L(-1)). Comparative molecular field analysis calculation indicated that stereoisomers with Sc configurations containing more electronegative group as COCF3 are favorable to the insecticidal activity. The present work demonstrated that chiral N-trifluoroacetyl sulfilimines can be considered as potential insect ryanodine receptor modulators. From the standpoint of molecular design, it was concluded that the conventional second methyl group in the aliphatic amido side chain of dicarboxamide might not be a requisite in our research on novel sulfiliminyl insecticides.

Way toward "dietary pesticides": molecular investigation of insecticidal action of caffeic acid against Helicoverpa armigera

Bioprospecting of natural molecules is essential to overcome serious environmental issues and pesticide resistance in insects. Here we are reporting insights into insecticidal activity of a plant natural phenol. In silico and in vitro screening of multiple molecules supported by in vivo validations suggested that caffeic acid (CA) is a potent inhibitor of Helicoverpa armigera gut proteases. Protease activity and gene expression were altered in CA-fed larvae. The structure-activity relationship of CA highlighted that all the functional groups are crucial for inhibition of protease activity. Biophysical studies and molecular dynamic simulations revealed that sequential binding of multiple CA molecules induces conformational changes in the protease(s) and thus lead to a significant decline in their activity. CA treatment significantly inhibits the insect's detoxification enzymes, thus intensifying the insecticidal effect. Our findings suggest that CA can be implicated as a potent insecticidal molecule and explored for the development of effective dietary pesticides.

Design, synthesis, and antiviral, fungicidal, and insecticidal activities of tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carbohydrazide derivatives

According to our previous research on the antiviral activity of β-carboline and tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives, using (1S,3S)-1-methyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3-carbohydrazide (1) as a lead compound, series of novel tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives containing acylhydrazone moiety were designed, synthesized, and first evaluated for their biological activities. Most of these compounds exhibited excellent antiviral activity both in vitro and in vivo. The in vivo inactivation, curative, and protection activities of compounds 8, 9, 12, 16, 28, 29, and 30 were much higher than that of ribavirin (37.6%, 39.4%, and 37.9% at 500 μg/mL) and the lead compound (40.0%, 42.3%, and 39.6% at 500 μg/mL). Especially, the in vitro and in vivo activities of compound 16 (36.9%, 33.6%, 30.2%, and 35.8%) at 100 μg/mL, which were very close to that of ribavirin (40.0% for in vitro activity) at 500 μg/mL. Compounds 9 and 29 were chosen for the field trials of antiviral efficacy against TMV (tobacco mosaic virus); the results exhibited that both compounds, especially compound 29, showed better activities than control plant virus inhibitors. At the same time, the fungicidal results showed that compounds 6, 9, and 11 exhibited good fungicidal activities against 14 kinds of phytopathogens. Additionally, compounds 3 and 23 exhibited moderate insecticidal activity against the four tested species of insects.

Tropical Plant Extracts as Sources of Grain-Protectant Compounds Against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The toxicity of organic plant extracts to Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was assessed for three tropical plant species: branches, leaves, and seeds of Annona montana (Annonaceae), branches of Aristolochia paulistana (Aristolochiaceae), and leaves and branches of Casearia sylvestris (Salicaceae). The screening assay resulted that the extracts of A. montana seeds obtained with hexane (LC50 = 534.75 mg kg(-1) and LT50 = 6.10 days) and with dichloromethane (LC50 = 424.67 mg kg(-1) and LT50 = 5.03 days) were the most promising treatments, followed by the extract prepared from A. montana leaves with hexane (LC50 = 837.70 mg kg(-1) and LT50 = 4.90 days). Moreover, extracts (at 1,500 mg kg(-1)) prepared from C. sylvestris branches with dichloromethane and A. paulistana with hexane caused significant mortality (37% and 41.5%, respectively) beyond sublethal effects on S. zeamais. Therefore, based on the biological assays, extraction yield, and evaluation of the chromatographic profile of the crude extracts by TLC, the hexane extract of A. montana seeds was selected and fractioned using liquid-liquid partitioning. The hydroalcoholic fraction caused mortality of 55.5%, significantly superior to dichloromethane fraction, which caused 35.5% of mortality. Chemical analyses ((1)H NMR, HPLC, and TLC) were performed, and the results showed the presence of alkaloids and acetogenins in both active fractions, which have been associated with bioactivity. Therefore, extracts prepared from A. montana seeds (especially) is an interesting source of new compounds with promising grain-protectant properties.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of various α-substituted benzylpyrroles based on the structures of insecticidal chlorfenapyr and natural pyrrolomycins

On the basis of the structures of chlorfenapyr and dioxapyrrolomycin, a series of 2-benzylpyrroles with a hydroxyl, an alkyloxy, an acyloxy, an alkylsulfanyl, or an oxime moiety at the α-position of benzyl were designed and synthesized. Their insecticidal, acaricidal, and fungicidal activities were extensively investigated. The structure-activity relationship showed that benzylpyrroles bearing shorter α-alkyloxy groups gave better activities against most of the insect species; the alkylation of pyrrole usually gave increased activity. Among all compounds, (4-bromo-2-(α-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-4-chlorobenzyl)-1-(ethoxymethyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile) (5'j) exhibited the most outstanding insecticidal activities against oriental armyworm (IC₅₀=10 mg L⁻¹), diamondback moth (0.07 mg L⁻¹), corn borer (50 mg L⁻¹), and mosquito (0.04 mg L⁻¹), which are very close to those of chlorfenapyr (5, 0.08, <25, and <0.025 mg L⁻¹, respectively). In addition, some compounds also exhibited a broad or selective fungicidal spectrum.

Toxic and antifeedant activities of prenylated flavonoids isolated from Tephrosia apollinea L. against three major coleopteran pests of stored grains with reference to their structure-activity relationship

Four prenylated flavonoids, isoglabratephrin, (+)-glabratephrin, tephroapollin-F and lanceolatin-A, were isolated from Tephrosia apollinea L. and tested against three stored grain insects. Using the filter paper bioassay, compounds showed adulticidal activity against Sitophilus oryzae (L), Rhyzopertha dominica (F) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) at concentrations of 0.875, 1.75 and 3.5 mg mL(- 1). At 3.5 mg mL(- 1), tephroapollin-F was the most toxic (78.6%, 64.6% and 60.7% mortality was recorded after 10 days exposure of S. oryzae, R. dominica and T. castaneum, respectively). The F1 progeny production of insects was affected after parental exposure to flavonoids, where S. oryzae was the most susceptible. A nutritional bioassay, employing a flour disc and test concentrations of 0.65, 1.3 and 2.6 mg g(- 1), revealed a significant reduction in the relative growth rate, relative consumption rate and efficiency of conversion of ingested food by all insects. The structure-activity relationship among the tested flavonoids was discussed.

Composition of the essential oil of Cynanchum mongolicum (Asclepiadaceae) and insecticidal activities against Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphidiae)

BACKGROUND

Farmers have applied Cynanchum mongolicum (Maxim) to control crop pests. The aim of this study was to analyze composition of essential oil from C. mongolicum, evaluate insecticidal activities against Aphis glycines, and lethal doses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Essential oil from C. mongolicum was efficiently extracted by steam distillation. The main components of the oil were analyzed with a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) system, and the insecticidal activity of the essential oil on soybean aphids Aphis glycines was tested using a variety of methods.

RESULTS

The components of the essential oil from C. mongolicum mainly included terpenes and ester compounds, of which (Z)-3-Hexen-1-ol acetate, cis-3-hexenyl isovalerate, α-farnesene, and β-caryophyllene accounted for 15.8, 10.4, 8.4, and 5.5%, respectively. With 1- and 2-day exposure, the essential oil showed pronounced contact toxicity (median lethal concentration (LC50) =37.8 and 38.4 μL/mL, respectively), weak fumigant toxicity (LC50 = 139.7 and 139.9 μL/L, respectively). The essential oil showed strong deterrent activity on soybean aphids in 2 and 4 h.

CONCLUSION

The essential oil of C. mongolicum contained insecticidal components and possessed contact toxicity and deterrent activity to A. glycines.

Stage-specific insecticidal characteristics of a nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate from Chrysodeixis chalcites enhanced by optical brighteners

BACKGROUND

Chrysodeixis chalcites is a major noctuid pest of banana crops in the Canary Islands. The stage-specific susceptibility of this pest to C. chalcites single nucleopolyhedrovirus (ChchSNPV-TF1) was determined, as well as the effect of selected optical brighteners as enhancers of primary infection.

RESULTS

Susceptibility to ChchSNPV-TF1 occlusion bodies (OBs) decreased as larval stage increased; second instars (L2) were 10,000-fold more susceptible than sixth instars (L6). Virus speed of kill was 42 h faster in L2 than in L6 . OB production increased in late instars; L6 larvae produced 23-fold more OBs than L4 . Addition of 10 mg mL(-1) Tinopal enhanced OB pathogenicity by 4.43- to 397-fold depending on instar, whereas 10 µL mL(-1) Leucophor resulted in potentiation of OB pathogenicity from 1.46- to 143-fold. Mean time to death decreased by 14 to 26 h when larvae consumed OBs in mixtures with 10 mg mL(-1) Tinopal, or 10 µL mL(-1) Leucophor, although in these treatments OB yields were reduced by up to 8.5-fold (Tinopal) or up to 3.8-fold (Leucophor).

CONCLUSION

These results have clear applications for the use of ChchSNPV-TF1 as a biological insecticide in control programs against C. chalcites in the Canary Islands.