In Vitro and In Silico Protocols for the Assessment of Anti-Tick Compounds from Pinus roxburghii against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Ticks

Abstract

Pinus roxburghii, also known by the name “Himalayan chir pine,” belongs to the Pinaceae family. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick is one of the most significant bovine ectoparasites, making it a major vector of economically important tick-borne diseases. The researchers conducted adult immersion tests (AIT) and larval packet tests (LPT) to investigate the acaricidal effect of P. roxburghii plant extract on R. (B.) microplus and its potential modulatory function when used with cypermethrin. Eggs were also assessed for their weight, egg-laying index (IE), hatchability rate, and control rate. After exposure to essential extract concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 40 mg/mL for 48 h, adult female ticks’ oviposition inhibition and unfed R. (B.) microplus larvae’s mortality rates were analyzed. Engorged females exposed to P. roxburghii at 40 mg/mL had reduced biological activity (oviposition, IE) compared to positive and negative controls. A concentration of 40 mg/mL of P. roxburghii caused 90% mortality in R. (B.) microplus larvae, whereas cypermethrin (the positive control) caused 98.3% mortality in LPT. In AIT, cypermethrin inhibited 81% of oviposition, compared to the 40 mg/mL concentration of P. roxburghii, which inhibited 40% of the ticks’ oviposition. Moreover, this study assessed the binding capacity of selected phytocompounds with the targeted protein. Three servers (SWISS-MODEL, RoseTTAFold, and TrRosetta) recreated the target protein RmGABACl’s 3D structure. The modeled 3D structure was validated using the online servers PROCHECK, ERRAT, and Prosa. Molecular docking using Auto Dock VINA predicted the binding mechanisms of 20 drug-like compounds against the target protein. Catechin and myricetin showed significant interactions with active site residues of the target protein, with docking scores of −7.7 kcal/mol and −7.6 kcal/mol, respectively. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the acaricidal activity of P. roxburghii extract, suggesting its potential as an alternative natural acaricide for controlling R. (B.) microplus.

Integrating In Vitro and In Silico Approaches to Assess Monotheca buxifolia Plant Extract against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Sarcoptes scabiei

“…The same was the case for S. scabiei mites, whose mortality was also time-and dose-dependent. These results are in line with the findings of [37,38], in which the mortality effect of botanicals was indicated to be dose-, concentration-and exposure-time-dependent. Our study also revealed that all methanolic extracts of the tested botanical leaves at the tested concentrations induced a significant acaricidal effect against S. scabiei mites and R. microplus compared with the negative control.…”

“…The extracts efficacy against R. microplus ticks was determined using the adult immersion test (AIT) and larval packet test (LPT) according to the protocol outlined by Ayub et al, [37] and Matos et al [44]. The tick's larval mortality was recorded at 24 and 48 h for different concentrations.…”

In Silico Exploration and Experimental Validation of Camellia sinensis Extract against Rhipicephalus microplus and Sarcoptes scabiei: An Integrated Approach

“…Ticks and mites were treated with different concentrations of the ethanol extracts. Previous studies have explored the acaricidal properties of various herbs against mites and ticks [13,30,47,48]. C. sinensis has been reported to possess antioxidant [49], antibacterial [50], anti-inflammatory, and antihistaminic properties [51], as well as insecticidal properties [52], whereas no acaricidal potential of the plant has been documented.…”