A survey of bacterial, fungal and plant metabolites against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), the vector of yellow and dengue fevers and Zika virus

Authors: MASI, MARCO - Universita Di Napoli; CIMMINO, ALESSIO - Universita Di Napoli; Tabanca, Nurhayat; Becnel, James; BLOOMQUIST, JEFFREY - University Of Florida; EVIDENTE, ANTONIO - Universita Di Napoli

Submitted to: Open Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2017
Publication Date: 6/16/2017
Citation: Masi, M., Cimmino, A., Tabanca, N., Becnel, J.J., Bloomquist, J.R., Evidente, A. 2017. A survey of bacterial, fungal and plant metabolites against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), the vector of yellow and dengue fevers and Zika virus. Open Chemistry. 15:156-166.

Interpretive Summary: Because of increasing insecticide resistance, new pesticides are needed. Natural products have long been a fruitful source to identify new environmentally friendly pesticides. In this study, 23 chemicals isolated from fungi and plants were evaluated for activity against the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Results from the current study indicate that additional structure-activity investigations with respect to the mosquitocidal activity of compounds belonging to diketopiperazine, cytochalasan, naphthoquinone and low molecular weight organic acid groups are warranted. This could lead to new compounds with improved insecticidal activity.

Technical Abstract: Aedes aegypti L. is the major vector of the arboviruses responsible for dengue fever, one of the most devastating human diseases. Some bacterial, fungal and plant metabolites including Amaryllidaceae alkaloids belonging to different chemical subgroups, including anthracenes, azoxymethoxytetrahydropyrans, cytochalasans, 2,5-diketopiperazines, isochromanones, naphthoquinones, organic small acids and their methyl esters, sterols and terpenes including sesquiterpenes and diterpenes, were tested for their larvicidal and adulticidal activity against Ae. aegypti. Out of 23 compounds tested, gliotoxin exhibited mosquitocidal activity in both bioassays with an LC50 value of 0.03 ± 0 'g/'L against 1st instar Ae. aegypti and LD50 value of 2.79 ± 0.12 'g/mosquito against adult female Ae. aegypti. Cytochalasin A and 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone showed the same LC50 value of 0.09 ± 0 'g/'L against Ae. aegypti larvae. In adult bioassays, fusaric acid (LD50= 0.83 ± 0.01 'g/mosquito), 3-nitropropionic acid (LD50= 1.66 ± 0.05 'g/mosquito) and '-costic acid (LD50= 2.55 ± 0.08 'g/mosquito) exhibited adulticidal activity. Results from the current study confirm that compounds belonging to cytochalsin, diketopiperazine, naphthoquinone and low molecular weight organic acid groups are active and may stimulate further SAR investigations.