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Title: Mosquito repellents based on a natural chromene analogue with longer duration of action than N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET)

Author
item Meepagala, Kumudini
item Bernier, Ulrich
item BURANDT, CHARLES - University Of Mississippi
item Duke, Stephen

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/5/2013
Publication Date: 9/25/2013
Citation: Meepagala, K.M., Bernier, U.R., Burandt, C., Duke, S.O. 2013. Mosquito repellents based on a natural chromene analogue with longer duration of action than N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 61:9293-9297.

Interpretive Summary: Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit the virus that cause Yellow and dengue fevers. Better products are needed to prevent bites from these insects and therefore reduce the risk of disease transmission to humans and other animals. The use of public health insecticides, such as adulticides, is one of the major approaches used for control of this medically important insect pest; however, few new insecticides have been developed for mosquito control. Mosquito repellents play a major role in reducing bites and therefore mitigating transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. There has been concern generated from the reported neurotoxic effects of popular repellent DEET. Therefore, new long-lasting repellents without a neurotoxic effect should be explored. In this paper we describe discovery of a new class of insecticides that are more effective with longer duration of action than DEET.

Technical Abstract: The mosquito species Aedes aegypti (L.) is a primary vector that transmits pathogens that cause Yellow and dengue fevers. Better products are needed to prevent bites from these insects and therefore reduce the risk of disease transmission to humans and other animals. The use of public health insecticides, such as adulticides, is one of the major approaches used for control of this medically important insect pest; however, few new insecticides have been developed for mosquito control. Mosquito repellents play a major role in reducing bites and therefore mitigating transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. There has been concern generated from the reported neurotoxic effects of popular repellent DEET. Therefore, new long-lasting repellents without a neurotoxic effect should be explored. The U.S. military is very interested in preventing disease transmission as dengue does impact deployed military personnel in some parts of the world. Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. As part of an effort in search for mosquito repellents under the DWFP (Deployed War Fighter Protection program of the U.S. Armed Forces Pest Management Board) program, we have identified some natural product-derived compounds that have higher duration of action and potency against Ae aegypti female mosquitotes than DEET in laboratory bioassays. Chromene analogs based on a natural chromene amide isolated from Amyris texana were tested as mosquito repellents against Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Several chromene analogs were synthesized and characterized as a novel class of mosquito repellent. These compounds exhibited significantly higher duration of protection and higher activity than the most popular mosquito repellent DEET.