No abstract

The effect of pulegone chiral center configuration on its antifeedant activity to Myzus persicae was examined. Biological consequences of structural modifications of (R)-(+)- and (S)-(-)-pulegone, the lactonization, iodolactonization, and incorporation of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups were studied, as well. The most active compounds were (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) and delta-hydroxy-gamma-spirolactones (5S,6R,8S)-(-)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro[4.5]decan-2-one (5b) and (5R,6S,8S)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro[4.5]decan-2-one (6b) derived from (S)-(-)-pulegone (1b). The compounds deterred aphid probing and feeding at preingestional, ingestional, and postingestional phases of feeding. The preingestional effect of (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) was manifested as difficulty in finding and reaching the phloem (i.e., prolonged time preceding the first contact with phloem vessels), a high proportion of probes not reaching beyond the mesophyll layer before first phloem phase, and/or failure to find sieve elements by 20% of aphids during the 8-hr experiment. The ingestional activity of (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) and hydroxylactones 5b and 6b resulted in a decrease in duration of phloem sap ingestion, a decrease in the proportion of aphids with sustained sap ingestion, and an increase in the proportion of aphid salivation in phloem. delta-Keto-gamma-spirolactone (5R,8S)-(-)-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro[4.5]decan-2,6-dione (8b) produced a weak ingestional effect (shortened phloem phase). The postingestional deterrence of (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) and delta-hydroxy-gamma-spirolactones (5R,6S,8R)-(+)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro[4.5]-decan-2-one (5a), 5b, (5S,6R,8R)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro[4.5]decan-2-one (6a), 6b, and delta-keto-gamma-spirolactone 8b prevented aphids from settling on treated leaves. The trans position of methyl group CH3-8 and the bond C5-O1 in lactone 6b appeared to weaken the deterrent activity in relation to the cis diastereoisomer (5b).

No abstract

Studies on the biological activity of synthesised lactones revealed high selectivity towards insect pests as well as bacterial strains. Only the halolactones exhibited significant antifeedant activity. In contrast, antibacterial activity was shown only by the lactone (8) without halogen.

The phospholipid (PL) fraction from egg yolk was isolated and purified. In the procedure applied (method 2) the egg yolk was extracted with ethanol, precipitated using acetone chilled to -20°C and washed using acetone. The purity of the samples was checked by HPLC analysis using a Charged Aerosol Detector (CAD). The results were compared with those obtained for the phospholipid fraction isolated and purified by deoiling yolk before extraction and the precipitation of PL with acetone chilled to 4°C (method 1). The use of acetone chilled to -20°C to precipitate and wash the phospholipids yielded the phospholipid fraction with 100% purity (78.7 ± 0.2 of phosphatidylcholine and 21.3 ± 0.2 of phosphatidylethanolamine). When deoiling and the 4°C purification process was used (method 1) 0.4 ± 0.1% cholesterol and some traces of triacylglycerols remained in the PL fraction.