The Picrotoxin-Barbiturate Antagonism

Kohn, Richard; Platt, Samantha; Saltman, S. Y.

doi:10.1001/jama.1938.02790310009004

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 7 publications

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“…In addition to use as ectoparasiticides and insecticides, they also play very important roles as molecular tools in the studies of γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) receptors at physiological and biochemical levels [30]. Therefore, Picrotoxin as GABAergic receptors, which act by modulating and blocking chlorine channels [31,32], are listed as antidotes against barbiturate poisoning [33], convulsants [34], memory deficiency in animals [32], and they can speed the mammalian circadian clock [35]. In insects, Picrotoxin tested against many insect species showed various activities, such as acting as a pesticide [36,37], acting as a modulator [38], abolishing the oscillatory synchronization [39], and causing a loss in the ability to perceive odor mixtures of configural stimulants [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lethality of Sesquiterpenes Reprogramming Red Palm Weevil Detoxification Mechanism for Natural Novel Biopesticide Development

et al. 2019

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Natural biopesticide development for invasive populations of red palm weevils is mainly responsible for the destruction of date palms and demands an extensive screening program of plant secondary metabolites. In the current study, the pesticidal potential of sesquiterpenes (C15 H24), an important class of plant secondary metabolites primarily composed of three isoprene units, was evaluated by laboratory toxicity, feeding performance bioassays, and host detoxification gene expression patterns. Dose-mortality response bioassays performed against mid-aged eighth-instar red palm weevil larvae revealed dose-dependent mortality. Only three sesquiterpenes, including Farnesol (LD50 = 6559 ppm) and Farnesyl acetate (LD50 = 7867 ppm), are considered to have significant toxicity, with Picrotoxin (LD50 = 317 ppm) being the most toxic. Furthermore, highly toxic sesquiterpene (Picrotoxin) established in the current study tremendously reduced the feeding performance indices, including the efficacy of conversion of digested food (ECD) (81.74%) and the efficacy of conversion of ingested food (ECI) (73.62%). The least toxic sesquiterpenes, including β-Caryophyllene, (+)-Cedrol, Nerolidol, (+)-Nootkatone, and Parthenolide, observed in the current study failed to impart significant reductions of ECI and ECD indices. Lethality of the least toxic sesquiterpenes was overcome by greatly inducing gene expressions of Glutathione S transferase (GST) and Cytochrome P450. These encouraging results enabled us to suggest Picrotoxin as a promising biopesticide for the control of red palm weevil infestations.

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