Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #248978

Title: Callicarpenal and Intermedeol: Two Natural Arthropod Feeding Deterrent and Repellent Compounds Identified from the Southern Folk Remedy Plant, Callicarpa americana

Author
item Cantrell, Charles
item Klun, Jerome

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2010
Publication Date: 12/13/2011
Citation: Cantrell, C.L., Klun, J.A. 2011. Callicarpenal and Intermedeol: Two Natural Arthropod Feeding Deterrent and Repellent Compounds Identified from the Southern Folk Remedy Plant, Callicarpa americana. In: Paluch, G.E., Coats, J.R., editors. Recent Developments in Invertebrate Repellents. Volume 1090. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. p. 47-58.

Interpretive Summary: In previous studies on the American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), it was demonstrated that callicarpenal and intermedeol were responsible for the mosquito repellent and feeding deterrent activity of this folk remedy. Both compounds showed significant bite-deterring activity against the vectors for malaria and yellow fever. Callicarpenal and intermedeol were evaluated in laboratory bioassays for repellent activity against host-seeking nymphs of the blacklegged tick, a vector for Lyme disease, against a vector for erlicheosis, and against a vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Callicarpenal and intermedeol were also evaluated for repellency against workers of red imported fire ants and black imported fire ants using multiple choice digging bioassays. Studies to determine the optimal extraction conditions for obtaining callicarpenal from dry leaves were also conducted and these methods were used to evaluate the variation in the dry weight concentration of callicarpenal at various stages of plant development throughout a single growing season.

Technical Abstract: In previous studies on the American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), it was demonstrated that callicarpenal and intermedeol were responsible for the arthropod repellent and feeding deterrent activity of this folk remedy. Both compounds showed significant bite-deterring activity against Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi. Callicarpenal and intermedeol were evaluated in laboratory bioassays for repellent activity against host-seeking nymphs of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, a vector for Lyme disease, against Amblyomma americanum, a vector for erlicheosis, and Amblyomma cajennense, a vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Callicarpenal and intermedeol were also evaluated for repellency against workers of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta and black imported fire ants, Solenopsis richteri using multiple choice digging bioassays. Chemical modifications were performed on callicarpenal in a preliminary structure-activity relationship study against Ae. aegypti. In continuation with this study, callicarpenal diethyl amine and piperidine analogs were synthesized and evaluated against both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus at 25 nmoles/cm2. We also conducted studies to determine the optimal extraction conditions for obtaining callicarpenal from dry leaves, and these methods were used to evaluate the variation in the dry weight concentration of callicarpenal at various stages of plant development throughout a single growing season.