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Activity of Phenolics in Insects: The Role of Oxidation

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Plant Polyphenols

Part of the book series: Basic Life Sciences ((BLSC,volume 59))

Abstract

Attempts to characterize tannin activity in biological systems have met with mixed success. Although there are many examples in which tannins inhibit fungal, bacterial, and/or viral growth, there are also many failures to find such activity. It has proven especially difficult to characterize tannin activity in insect herbivores, even when polyphenols comprise a large fraction of the diet and the insect appears to suffer as a consequence. The affinity of polyphenols for various substrates (e.g., proteins) varies with the physiochemical conditions in which the complexation or reaction takes place. We postulate that variation among insect species in midgut conditions, mainly redox potential and pH, yields variable impacts of phenolics on insects. Redox conditions and pH are influenced by intrinsic physiological characteristics of the insect and by foliar oxidative enzymes, non-enzymatic oxidants, and reductants. Many insects appear to possess adaptations that relate directly to the oxidative state of ingested phenolics. In many cases, oxidative activation may be necessary before biological impacts can be observed.

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  1. Pesticide Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 16802, USA

    Heidi M. Appel & Jack C. Schultz

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  1. Heidi M. Appel
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  2. Jack C. Schultz
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  1. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pineville, Louisiana, USA

    Richard W. Hemingway

  2. Institute of Wood Research, Houghton, Michigan, USA

    Peter E. Laks

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Appel, H.M., Schultz, J.C. (1992). Activity of Phenolics in Insects: The Role of Oxidation. In: Hemingway, R.W., Laks, P.E. (eds) Plant Polyphenols. Basic Life Sciences, vol 59. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3476-1_34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3476-1_34

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6540-2

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