Insecticidal Triterpenes in Meliaceae: Plant Species, Molecules, and Activities: Part II (<i>Cipadessa</i>, <i>Melia</i>)

oleh: Meihong Lin, Xiaoyang Bi, Lijuan Zhou, Jiguang Huang

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-05-01

Deskripsi

Plant-originated triterpenes are important insecticidal molecules. Research on the insecticidal activity of molecules from Meliaceae plants has always been a hotspot due to the molecules from this family showing a variety of insecticidal activities with diverse mechanisms of action. In this paper, we discussed 116 triterpenoid molecules with insecticidal activity from 22 plant species of five genera (<i>Cipadessa</i>, <i>Entandrophragma</i>, <i>Guarea</i>, <i>Khaya</i>, and <i>Melia</i>) in Meliaceae. In these genera, the insecticidal activities of plants from <i>Entandrophragma</i> and <i>Melia</i> have attracted substantial research attention in recent years. Specifically, the insecticidal activities of plants from <i>Melia</i> have been systemically studied for several decades. In total, the 116 insecticidal chemicals consisted of 34 ring-intact limonoids, 31 ring-seco limonoids, 48 rearranged limonoids, and 3 tetracyclic triterpenes. Furthermore, the 34 ring-intact limonoids included 29 trichilin-class chemicals, 3 azadirone-class chemicals, and 1 cedrelone-class and 1 havanensin-class limonoid. The 31 ring-seco limonoids consisted of 16 C-seco group chemicals, 8 B,D-seco group chemicals, 4 A,B-seco group chemicals, and 3 D-seco group chemicals. Furthermore, among the 48 rearranged limonoids, 46 were 2,30-linkage group chemicals and 2 were 10,11-linkage group chemicals. Specifically, the 46 chemicals belonging to the 2,30-linkage group could be subdivided into 24 mexicanolide-class chemicals and 22 phragmalin-class chemicals. Additionally, the three tetracyclic triterpenes were three protolimonoids. To sum up, 80 chemicals isolated from 19 plant species exhibited antifeedant activity toward 14 insect species; 18 chemicals isolated from 17 plant species exhibited poisonous activity toward 10 insect species; 16 chemicals isolated from 11 plant species possessed growth-regulatory activity toward 8 insect species. In particular, toosendanin was the most effective antifeedant and insect growth-regulatory agent. The antifeedant activity of toosendanin was significant. Owing to its high effect, toosendanin has been commercially applied. Three other molecules, 1,3-dicinnamoyl-11-hydroxymeliacarpin, 1-cinnamoyl-3-methacryl-11-hydroxymeliacarpin, and 1-cinnamoyl-3-acetyl-11-hydroxymeliacarpin, isolated from <i>Melia</i><i>azedarach</i>, exhibited a highly poisonous effect on <i>Spodoptera littoralis</i>; thus, they deserve further attention.