Laboratory Evaluation of Artemisia annua L. Extract and Artemisinin Activity against Epilachna paenulata and Spodoptera eridania

Abstract

Ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Artemisia annua L. and artemisinin were evaluated as anti-insect products. In a feeding deterrence assay on Epilachna paenulata Germ (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) larvae, complete feeding rejection was observed at an extract concentration of 1.5 mg/cm2 on pumpkin leaf tissue. The same concentration produced a feeding inhibition of 87% in Spodoptera eridania (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). In a no-choice assay, both species ate less and gained less weight when fed on leaves treated with the extract. Complete mortality in E. paenulata and 50% mortality in S. eridania were observed with extract at 1.5 mg/cm2. Artemisinin exhibited a moderate antifeedant effect on E. paenulata and S. eridania at 0.03-0.375 mg/cm2. However, a strong effect on survival and body weight was observed when E. paenulata larvae were forced to feed on leaves treated at 0.03 and 0.075 mg/cm2. Artemisia annua ethanolic extract of aerial parts at 1.5 mg/cm2 showed no phytotoxic effect on pumpkin seedlings.

Artemisia annuaextracts, artemisinin and 1,8-cineole, prevent fruit infestation by a major, cosmopolitan pest of apples

“…Comparison of our data with those of Maggi et al (2005) indicates that feeding deterrent properties of artemisinin against codling moth neonates are comparable with those against E. paenulata and S. eridania larvae. Maggi et al (2005) needed 0.375 mg of artemisinin per square centimeter (100 mm 2 ) of foliage to obtain deterrence index (calculated as in our study) in the range of 81-87.…”

“…However, although anticancer and antimalarial activities of A. annua attracted attention of researchers in medical science area (Eastman & Fidock, 2009;Firestone & Sundar, 2009), insect deterrent potentials of this plant and its metabolites are understudied. Maggi et al (2005) showed that both A. annua extracts and synthetic artemisinin reduce pumpkin foliage consumption by larvae of E. paenulata 18.8 *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001 in Fisher's Exact test. and S. eridania.…”

“…1, 8-cineole (Figure 1) from A. annua has toxic and feeding deterrent activities against T. castaneum (Tripathi et al, 2001). Ethanol extracts from A. annua as well as artemisinin (Figure 1), a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from this plant, were found to inhibit feeding of the South American ladybird beetle, Epilachna paenulata (Germar) (Coccinellidae) and caterpillars of southern armyworm Spodoptera eridania (Stoll) (Noctuidae) on pumpkin, Cucurbita maxima (Duchesne) (Cucurbitaceae) (Maggi et al, 2005). Suomi et al (1986) found that extracts from Artemisia absinthium (L.) (Asteraceae) inhibit apple infestation by codling moth neonates, and Durden et al (2008Durden et al ( , 2009 showed that Artemisia arborescens x absinthium and Artemisia ludoviciana (Nutt.)…”

Water deficit effect on the accumulation of biomass and artemisinin in annual wormwood(Artemisia annua L., Asteraceae)

“…(Utzinger et al, 2001;Xiao et al, 2004), the latter living in the circulatory system of the host. Also, ethanolic extract of aerial parts of A. annua and artemisinin exhibited effect against Epilachna paenulata and Spodoptera eridania (Maggi et al, 2005). A. annua oils are used in the perfume and cosmetic industry (Galambosi, 1980;Jain et al, 1996).…”

Natural Sesquiterpenoids

“…179 Artemisinin and extracts of the aerial parts of Artemisia annua have been evaluated as anti-insect products. 180 A stereoselective synthesis of (−)-cubebol has been accomplished. 181 Other authors have reported the synthesis of this sesquiterpene and of the hydrocarbon (−)-a-cubebene.…”