This study evaluated the larvicidal activity of 12 Apiaceae plant essential oils and their components against the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, and the inhibition of acetylcholine esterase with their components. Of the 12 plant essential oils tested, ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi), caraway seed (Carum carvi), carrot seed (Daucus carota), celery (Apium graveolens), cumin (Cuminum cyminum), dill (Anethum graveolens), and parsley (Petroselinum sativum) resulted in >90% larval mortality when used at 0.1 mg/mL. Of the compounds identified, α-phellandrene, α-terpinene, p-cymene, (-)-limonene, (+)-limonene, γ-terpinene, cuminaldehyde, neral, (S)-+-carvone, trans-anethole, thymol, carvacrol, myristicin, apiol, and carotol resulted in >80% larval mortality when used at 0.1 mg/mL. Two days after treatment, 24.69, 3.64, and 12.43% of the original amounts of the celery, cumin, and parsley oils, respectively, remained in the water. Less than 50% of the original amounts of α-phellandrene, 1,8-cineole, terpinen-4-ol, cuminaldehyde, and trans-antheole were detected in the water at 2 days after treatment. Carvacrol, α-pinene, and β-pinene inhibited the activity of Ae. albopictus acetylcholinesterase with IC50 values of 0.057, 0.062, and 0.190 mg/mL, respectively. A spherical microemulsion of parsley essential oil-loaded poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was prepared, and the larvicidal activity of this formulation was shown to be similar to that of parsley oil.

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In this study, we evaluated the nematicidal activity of natural ester compounds against the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, to identify candidates for the development of novel, safe nematicides. We also tested the nematicidal activity of synthesized analogues of these ester compounds to determine the structure-activity relationship. Among 28 ester compounds tested, isobutyl 2-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutyl 2-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutyl tiglate, 3-methyl-2-butenyl 2-methylbutanoate, and pentyl 2-methylbutanoate showed strong nematicidal activity against the pine wood nematode at a 1 mg/mL concentration. The other ester compounds showed weak nematicidal activity. The LC50 values of 3-methylbutyl tiglate, isobutyl 2-methylbutanoate, 3-methylbutyl 2-methylbutanoate, 3-methyl-2-butenyl 2-methylbutanoate, and pentyl 2-methylbutanoate were 0.0218, 0.0284, 0.0326, 0.0402, and 0.0480 mg/mL, respectively. The ester compounds described herein merit further study as potential nematicides for pine wood nematode control.