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Insect Antifertility and Antifeedant Allelochemics in Adhatoda Vasica

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Abstract

Various alkaloids from Adhatoda vasica (Acanthaceae) were found to be responsible for the antifertility and antifeedant activity of the extracts of the plant against insects. Among the major alkaloids vasicine, vasicinol and vasicinone severe antifertility effects were exhibited by vasicinol against Dysdercus koenigii and Tribolium castaneum due to blocking of oocytes in the oviduct. Feeding deterrence was observed against Aulacophora foveicollis and Epilachna vijintioctopunctata at 0.05 and 0.1% levels of these compounds. These allelochemics appear to show a dual activity vis-à-vis a species specificity.

Résumé

Nous avons établi qu’un certain nombre d’alcaloides extraits de l’Adhatoda vasica étaient à l’origine des réactions stérilisante et anti-appetent de la plante à l’égard des insectes. Parmi les trois alcaloides principaux: vasicine, vasicinone et vasicinol, ce dernier presente de puissants effets stérilisants contre le Dysdercus koenigii et le Tribolium castaneum, par arrêt des oocytes sur le chemin de l’oviducte. La fonction d’anti-appetent de ces composes à des taux compris entre 0.05 et 0.1% a pu etre observée contre l’Aulacophora foveicollis et l’Epilachna vijintioctopunctata.

L’apparait donc que ces matières chemiques allelomorphes presentent deux fonctions qui s’exercent sur la spécificité des especes.

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Saxena, B.P., Tikku, K., Atal, C.K. et al. Insect Antifertility and Antifeedant Allelochemics in Adhatoda Vasica. Int J Trop Insect Sci 7, 489–493 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1017/S174275840000970X

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S174275840000970X

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