Acaricidal activity of extracts from Petiveria alliacea (Phytolaccaceae) against the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) microplus (Acari: ixodidae)

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 168; no. 3; pp. 299 - 303
• Main Authors: Rosado-Aguilar, J.A., Aguilar-Caballero, A., Rodriguez-Vivas, R.I., Borges-Argaez, R., Garcia-Vazquez, Z., Mendez-Gonzalez, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 25.03.2010; Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier
• Subjects: Acari; Acaricidal activity; acaricidal properties; Acaricides - pharmacology; adult animals; adult immersion test; Animals; Benzyldisulfide; Benzyltrisulfide; bioassays; biological control; Boophilus microplus; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - parasitology; Female; gas chromatography; Ixodidae; Larva - drug effects; larvae; larval immersion test; Lethal Dose 50; mass spectrometry; Methanol - chemistry; Methanolic extracts; Mortality; Oviposition - drug effects; Petiveria alliacea; Phytolaccaceae; Phytolaccaceae - chemistry; plant extracts; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant Stems - chemistry; Rhipicephalus; Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) microplus; Rhipicephalus - drug effects; Tick Infestations - parasitology; Tick Infestations - veterinary; ticks; Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) microplus; Methanolic extracts; Mortality; Petiveria alliacea; Benzyltrisulfide; Acaricidal activity; Benzyldisulfide
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.11.022

The acaricidal activity of crude extracts and fractions from stems and leaves of Petiveria alliacea (Phytolaccaceae) was carried out on larvae and adults of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) microplus using the larval immersion test (LIT) and adult immersion test (AIT), respectively. Methanolic extracts of stems and leaves of P. alliacea showed 100% mortality on the LIT bioassay. On the other hand, methanolic extracts of leaves and stem on the AIT test showed 26% and 86% of mortality, respectively, egg laying inhibition of 40% and 91%, respectively and hatchability inhibition of 26% and 17%, respectively. Purification of the active stem methanolic extract showed that the activity was present in the n-hexane non-polar fraction. Bioassay-guided purification of the n-hexane fraction produced 10 semi-purified fractions; fraction B had the highest activity against tick larvae (100% mortality). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry demonstrated that the chemical composition of the active fraction B samples were mainly composed of benzyltrisulfide (BTS) and benzyldisulfide (BDS). These metabolites might be responsible for the acaricidal activity of stem extract of P. alliacea. However, further experiments to evaluate the acaricidal activity of BTS and BDS on larvae and adults of R. ( B.) microplus are needed. Our results showed that P. alliacea is a promising biocontrol candidate as acaricide against R. ( B.) microplus resistant strains.