Project Number: 6408-41000-008-09
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: May 15, 2009
End Date: May 14, 2011

Objective:
The objective of this cooperative research project is to isolate and identify any compounds with mosquito repellent properties found in male inflorescences of breadfruit and/or breadnut (Artocarpus altilis Parkinson (Fosberg), A. camansi Blanco, and A. mariannensis Trécul.)

Approach:
Initial tests have shown significant mosquito repellent activity from selected extracts of male breadfruit and/or breadnut inflorescences. The research will be conducted with the following approaches: 1) Bioassay-guided fractionation will be used to isolate the compounds responsible for this property. 2) Purification and identification of the active constituent using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and other analytical techniques as necessary. 3) Evaluation of the potential of isolated phytochemicals and their derivatives as novel mosquito repellents or feeding deterrents in various bioassays.