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Biological Activities of the Extracts and Constituents of Pimento, Pimenta dioica L. against the Southern Cattle Tick, Boophilus microplus

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Abstract

The biological activity against Boophilus microplus of extracts of the berries, bark, leaves and twigs of Pimenta dioica was examined and compared with that of eugenol, methyl eugenol and four commercial acaricides, namely dimethoate, famesyl methyl ether, carbaryl and diazinon. The berry essential oil was more effective at inhibiting oviposition and causing mortality of the ticks than all the extracts, the commercial acaricides and methyl eugenol. At a dose of 1.0 mg/g it was 33,12, 6, and 3 times as effective in inhibiting oviposition as the non-polar extracts of the leaves, bark, twigs and berries, respectively. The potency of the berry essential oil is attributable to eugenol, a phenyl propanoid derivative, which accounts for over 65% of the oil content.

Résumé

La bioactivité des extraits obtenus des fruits, de l’écorce, des feuilles et des lambourdes du piment Pimenta dioica a été évaluée sur la tique Boophilus microplus. L’activité de ces extraits était comparée à celle de l’eugénol, du méthyle d’eugénol ainsi qu’à celle de quatre acaricides commerciaux dont le diméthoate, le méthyl-éther de famasil, le carbaryl et le diazinon. Par rapport aux autres extraits, aux acaricides commerciaux et au méthyle d’eugénol, l’essence obtenue des fruits était plus efficace de par son effet inhibiteur de ponte et son action mortelle chez les tiques. A la dose de 1,0 mg/ g, l’huile essentielle des fruits, comparée aux autres extraits non-polaires obtenus des feuilles, de l’écorce, des lambourdes et des fruits eux-mêmes, a respectivement montré une bioactivité de 33, 12, 6, et 3 fois supérieure, de par son effet inhibiteur de ponte. Le pouvoir actif de cette essence est attribuable à l’eugénol, un dérivé d’un propanoïde de phényle qui entre à plus de 65% dans la composition de cette essence.

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Brown, H.A., Minott, D.A., Ingram, C.W. et al. Biological Activities of the Extracts and Constituents of Pimento, Pimenta dioica L. against the Southern Cattle Tick, Boophilus microplus. Int J Trop Insect Sci 18, 9–16 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400007402

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