Insecticidal Triterpenes in Meliaceae: Plant Species, Molecules and Activities: Part Ⅰ (Aphanamixis-Chukrasia)

Abstract

Plant-originated triterpenes are important insecticidal molecules. The research on insecticidal activity of molecules from Meliaceae plants has always received attention due to the molecules from this family showing a variety of insecticidal activities with diverse mechanisms of action. In this paper, we discuss 102 triterpenoid molecules with insecticidal activity of plants of eight genera (Aglaia, Aphanamixis, Azadirachta, Cabralea, Carapa, Cedrela, Chisocheton, and Chukrasia) in Meliaceae. In total, 19 insecticidal plant species are presented. Among these species, Azadirachta indica A. Juss is the most well-known insecticidal plant and azadirachtin is the active molecule most widely recognized and highly effective botanical insecticide. However, it is noteworthy that six species from Cedrela were reported to show insecticidal activity and deserve future study. In this paper, a total of 102 insecticidal molecules are summarized, including 96 nortriterpenes, 4 tetracyclic triterpenes, and 2 pentacyclic triterpenes. Results showed antifeedant activity, growth inhibition activity, poisonous activity, or other activities. Among them, 43 molecules from 15 plant species showed antifeedant activity against 16 insect species, 49 molecules from 14 plant species exhibited poisonous activity on 10 insect species, and 19 molecules from 11 plant species possessed growth regulatory activity on 12 insect species. Among these molecules, azadirachtins were found to be the most successful botanical insecticides. Still, other molecules possessed more than one type of obvious activity, including 7-deacetylgedunin, salannin, gedunin, azadirone, salannol, azadiradione, and methyl angolensate. Most of these molecules are only in the primary stage of study activity; their mechanism of action and structure–activity relationship warrant further study.

A comprehensive review of azadirachtin: physicochemical properties, bioactivities, production, and biosynthesis

“…In the context of cancer control, azadirachtin activates certain pro-apoptotic factors, while inhibiting anti-apoptotic factors that are crucial for cancer management. This results in a reduction in the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and an Azapirone Seeds,bark Anti-malarial, insecticide [27][28] Nimbin Seeds, leaves Anti-fungal [29] Salannin Seeds Ant-ifeedant, anti-fungal [30] meliantriol Seeds Anti-feedant, insecticide [26] Nimbolide Leaves Anti-cancer, insecticide [26] Nimbidin Seeds Anti-inflammatory [31] Nimbiol Seeds, leaves Anti-viral [32] Nimbocinol Seeds, leaves Anti-viral [32] Nimbidol Seeds, leaves Anti-inflammatory [33] Nimbandiol Leaves Anti-viral [34] Nimbinin Seeds Anti-viral [35] Nimolinone Seeds, leaves Anti-tumor [36] 17-Hydroxyazadiradione Leaves Anti-viral, anti-malarial, anti-fungal [34,37] 7-Desacetyl-7-benzoylazadiradione Leaves Anti-diabetic [38] 7-Deacetyl-7-benzoylgedunin Leaves Antiviral [38] Gedunin Seeds, bark Anti-malarial [39] Sterol β-sitosterol Seeds, flowers Anti-hypertensive, anti-cancer [40] Stigmasterol Leaves Anti-hypertensive, anti-cancer [41] Coumarin 7-hydroxy-6-methoxycoumarin All Anti-bacterial [42] Tannin Glycerite Bark Anti-inflammatory [43] Sulfide Propyl, propyl trisulfide Seeds, leaves Insecticidal, repellent, [44] Polysaccharide Polysaccharide GI Bark Anti-cancer [45] Polysaccharide GII, III Anti-allergic [45] Flavone Prenylated flavanone Flowers Anti-mutation [46] Isoprenylated flavanone Leaves Hypotensive [47] Quercetin Flowers, Leaves Lipid-lowering, hypotensive [41] Kaempferol Leaves Lipid-lowering, hypotensive [41] Aliphatic acids Nonacosane Leaves Anti-filtering pathogens [48] elevated expression of Apaf-1 and caspase-3, culminating in the downregulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigens. Consequently, this leads to cell fragmentation, condensation, and ultimately, tumor cell apoptosis.…”

The Role of Saponins in the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain

“…In nature, plants are dominated by tetracyclic triterpenes and pentacyclic triterpenes, among which the former mainly include lanostane, euphorane, dammarane, and cucurbitane, as well as protostance, meliacane, cycloartane, etc. (Figure 1A); and the later mainly include oleanane, ursane, lupinane, friedelane, fernane, isofernane, hopane, and isohopane (Figure 1B), and so on [11][12][13]. The steroidal saponins are formed by the condensation of steroidal sapogenins and glycosyl groups.…”

The health benefits of santol fruits and bioactive products isolated from Sandoricum koetjape Merr.: A scoping review

“…It is an apocarotenoid metabolite acting as an endogenous inducer of herbivore resistance (Murata, Kobayashi, & Seo, 2019, Murata, Nakai, et al, 2019). Insecticidal triterpenes are commonly found in Meliaceae plants (Lin et al, 2021).…”