Acaricidal activity of the plant sesquiterpenes a-costic acid and inuloxin A against the cattle ectoparasitic tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus

Authors: FREDA, FABRIZIO - Bbca-Onlus, Italy; MASI, MARCO - University Of Naples; KASHEFI, JAVID - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL); CRISTOFARO, MASSIMO - Bbca-Onlus, Italy; MUSMECI, SERGIO - Enea Casaccia Research Center; EVIDENTE, ANTONIO - University Of Naples

Submitted to: International Journal of Acarology
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/28/2020
Publication Date: 8/17/2020
Citation: Freda, F., Masi, M., Kashefi, J., Cristofaro, M., Musmeci, S., Evidente, A. 2020. Acaricidal activity of the plant sesquiterpenes a-costic acid and inuloxin A against the cattle ectoparasitic tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus. International Journal of Acarology. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647954.2020.1805002.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01647954.2020.1805002

Interpretive Summary: Rhipicephalus annulatus, also known as cattle fever tick, is a vector of babesiosis, a protozoal infection which cause severe losses to the yield of meat production with important economic lose and control cost. Although cattle fever tick was eradicated from the United States, it still exist in Mexico and therefore different control and detection measures are used to prevent its reintroduction into the U.S. Furthermore, the massive use of chemical acaricides during the last decades has resulted in the development of resistance and toxicological problems due to the accumulation of these pesticides in food products. A possible and more sustainable alternative could be represented by the applications of biopesticides, a class of bio-products extracted from living organisms with a clear toxic effect against the target pest species. Recently, two sesquiterpenoids, inuloxin A and a-costic acid isolated from Dittrichia viscosa, a perennial native plant of the Mediterranean basin, showed several interesting biological activities including acaricidal and antifedant activities. These results suggested a potential use of both compounds to control R. annulatus which could result in reduction in resistance, reduction in cost of control, higher quality of products and protection of environment because of smaller use of chemical insecticides. This product could be used by industry for production of an organic acaricide to control cattle fever tick.

Technical Abstract: The obligate ectoparasite Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, also known as cattle tick, is a hard tick native to Mediterranean region and vector of babesiosis, a protozoal infection which cause severe losses to the yield of meat production with important economic lose and control cost. Cattle fever tick was eradicated from the United States, but it still exist in Mexico and is repitedly introduced to southern US. Therefore different control and detection measures are in place to prevent its reestablishment into the U.S. The intensive use of synthetic chemical acaricides during the last decades has resulted in the development of resistance and toxicologicl problems due to the accumulation of these pesticides in food products. A possible and more sustainable alternative could be represented by the applications of biopesticides, a class of bio-products extracted from living organisms with a clear toxic effect against the target pest species. Recently, two sesquiterpenoids, inuloxin A and a-costic acid isolated from Dittrichia viscosa, a perennial native plant of the Mediterranean basin, showed several interesting biological activities including acaricidal and antifedant activities. These results suggested that both compounds could be used for control of R. annulatus. This could result in reduction in resistance, reduction in cost of control, higher quality of products and protection of environment because of smaller use of chemical insecticides.