Limonoids from Citrus reticulata and their moult inhibiting activity in mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus larvae

• Published in: Phytochemistry (Oxford) Vol. 44; no. 5; pp. 843 - 846
• Main Authors: Jayaprakasha, G.K., Singh, R.P., Pereira, J., Sakariah, K.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.03.1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Citrus reticulata; Culex - drug effects; Culex quinquefasciatus; Culicidae; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Insecticides - isolation & purification; Larva; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Seeds - chemistry; Structure-Activity Relationship; Triterpenes - isolation & purification; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; limonoids; limonin; Citrus reticulata; moult inhibition; Rutaceae; obacunone; nomilin; Culex quinquefasciatus; Bioassay; Insecticide; Molecular structure; Citrus fruit; Insecta; Biological activity; Structure activity relation; Arthropoda; Dicotyledones; Seed; Angiospermae; Culicidae; Triterpene; Isolation; Spermatophyta; Developmental stage; Invertebrata; Vector; Diptera
• ISSN: 0031-9422; 1873-3700
• DOI: 10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00589-4

Three limonoids, namely limonin, nomilin and obacunone, were isolated from the seeds of Citrus reticulata [Blanco Coorg Mandarin]. Their structures were confirmed by spectroscopic studies. With 4th instar larvae of mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus, the EC 50 for inhibition of adult emergence was 6.31, 26.61 and 59.57 ppm for obacunone, nomilin and limonin, respectively. The pattern of mortality at around the EC 50 levels was indicative of moult inhibiting activity. The efficacy of a limonoid enriched fraction was similar to that of limonin, probably due to the high content (70%) of limonin.