Challenges, Advances and Opportunities in Exploring Natural Products to Control Arboviral Disease Vectors

Abstract

Natural products constitute an important source of molecules for product development. However, despite numerous reports of compounds and active extracts from biodiversity, poor and developing countries continue to suffer with endemic diseases caused by arboviral vectors, including dengue, Zika, chikungunya and urban yellow fever. Vector control remains the most efficient disease prevention strategy. Wide and prolonged use of insecticides has resulted in vector resistance, making the search for new chemical prototypes imperative. Considering the potential of natural products chemistry for developing natural products-based products, including insecticides, this contribution discusses the general aspects and specific characteristics involved in the development of drug leads for vector control. Throughout this work, we highlight the obstacles that need to be overcome in order for natural products compounds to be considered promising prototypes. Moreover, we analyze the bottlenecks that should be addressed, together with potential strategies, to rationalize and improve the efficiency of the drug discovery process.

Combination of GC-MS Molecular Networking and Larvicidal Effect against Aedes aegypti for the Discovery of Bioactive Substances in Commercial Essential Oils

“…aegypti larvae (third instar, L3), evaluating their mortality rate at 24 h and 48 h, Table 1 . According to Dermaque et al [ 43 ], an initial screening strategy to preselect an extract active against Ae. aegypti larvae involves testing at a single concentration, standardized at 250 ppm.…”

“…aegypti in different communities [ 8 , 14 , 45 , 46 ]. However, larvicide/insecticide products based on natural products (NP) are scarce in the industry, revealing some difficulties associated with applying traditional approaches in NP [ 43 , 47 , 48 ].…”

Discovery of novel natural products for mosquito control

“…The reason for this failing is usually one or more challenges related to toxicity, stringent regulatory requirements, potency, costs, access and/or supply. Also, from a marketing standpoint, a new product must be demonstrated to be more advantageous than already marketed products [ 33 ]. In the search for new targets to circumvent problems with rapid resistance development and off-target toxicity, one approach is to re-purpose natural products already investigated and characterized for other purposes [ 34 ].…”

Old Meets New: Mass Spectrometry-Based Untargeted Metabolomics Reveals Unusual Larvicidal Nitropropanoyl Glycosides from the Leaves of Heteropterys umbellata

“…5,6 However, natural products are emerging as promising molecular model alternatives. 5,7,8 Several recent studies regarding plants from the immense Brazilian biodiversity have shown favorable results against Ae. aegypti.…”

“…The Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquito, for instance, is the primary vector of several neotropical arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and urban yellow fever. , To date, the most effective way to control these diseases is to combat their vector. Synthetic pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, oxadiazines, organophosphates, pyrethroids, and carbamates, are still the most widely used approach for this purpose. , However, natural products are emerging as promising molecular model alternatives. ,, Several recent studies regarding plants from the immense Brazilian biodiversity have shown favorable results against Ae. aegypti . − Therefore, the underexplored Brazilian biodiversity represents a valuable potential source of still-to-be-discovered compounds for this target.…”