An extract of Commiphora erythraea: a repellent and toxicant against ticks

A hexane extract of the gum of an African plant, Commiphora erythraea Engler (Burseraceae), has larvicidal and repellent activity against the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) and the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say). Adult deer ticks, Ixodes dammini Spielman, Clifford, Piesman and Corwin, were also repelled by the extract. Concentrations of 0.02 mg/cm² of the extract impregnated onto filter paper killed 96.15 (±3.56)% of A. americanum larvae exposed to it for 24h. A concentration of 0.16 mg/cm² was needed to kill 80.3% of D. variabilis larvae. The extract was less effective as a larvicide against A. americanum and D. variabilis than permethrin. Less than 15.5% of A. americanum larvae and adults and D. variabilis and I. dammini adults entered and remained for 2 or 3 min on areas of cloth strips treated with the extract at the rate of 0.2 mg/cm². However, 73.3 to 83.3% of the ticks tested entered and remained in areas treated with hexane. Permethrin was about 1 or 2 orders of magnitude more effective against A. americanum larvae as a repellent than the extract.

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Résumé Un extrait à l'hexane de la gomme de la plante africaine, C. erythraea Engler (Burseraceae) a des effets larvicides et répulsifs contre les tiques, Amblyomma americanum L. et Dermacentor variabilis Say; les adultes de Ixodes dammini Spielman, Clifford, Piesman & Corwin, ont été aussi éloignés par l'extrait. Une concentration de 0,02 mg/cm² de l'extrait imprégnant du papier filtre a tué 96,15% (±3,56) larves de A. americanum exposées pendant 24 h. Une concentration de 0,16 mg/cm² a été nécessaire pour tuer 80,3% des larves de D. variabilis. L'extrait a été moins efficace que la perméthrine comme larvicide contre A. americanum et D. variabilis. Moins de 15,5% des larves et des adultes de A. americanum et des adultes de D. variabilis et de I. dammini pénétrèrent et séjournèrent 2 à 3 minutes dans des morceaux de tissu traités avec l'extrait à raison de 0,2 mg/cm², contre 73,3 et 83,3% qui pénétrèrent et restèrent lors de traitement avec de l'hexane. Contre A. americanum, la perméthrine est un répulsif d'un ordre de grandeur une à deux fois supérieur à l'extrait de C. erythraea.

     

Furanosesquiterpenoids of Commiphora erythraea and C. myrrh

The isolation and structure determination of two new furanosesquiterpenoids, 2-O-acetyl-8,12-epoxygermacra-1(10),4,7,11-tetraene and 2-O-methyl-8,12-epoxygermacra-1(10)-4,7,11-tetraene, from gum exudates of Commiphora myrrh are reported. These two compounds, together with the known furanodienone isolated from C. erythraea, were found to have ixodicidal activity against Rhipicephalus appendiculatus tick larvae.     

A non-hydrogen-bonding role for the 4-hydroxyl group of D-Galactose in its reaction with D-Galactose oxidase

Several 4-deoxy analogs of methyl β-D-galactopyranoside are oxidized by D-galactose oxidase. The rates associated with their various, axially attached 4-substituents follow the sequence OH>NH₂>F?>Cl> H; these differences are attributed mainly to variations in K_m. Other 4-deoxy analogs, namely, the 4-azido-4-deoxy, 4-bromo-4-deoxy-, 4-deoxy-4-iodo, and 4-thio derivatives were found to be inactive. These observations indicate that the axial 4-hydroxyl group of D-galactopyranose does not play a hydrogen-bonding role primarily, but constitutes a substituent of a size optimal for interaction with the enzyme.