Nematicidal activity against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus of isoobtusilactone A isolated from Persea americana.

摘要

Methanol extracts of 50 plant species were assessed for nematicidal activity against the pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. Out of these, five extracts: Justicia diclipteroides subsp. usambarica; Nerium oleander; Persea americana; Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. multiflorus; and Thespesia populnea, caused 96-100% mortalities of pine wood nematode at 1000 micro g ml-1 for 48 h. Methanol extract of the stem bark of P. americana (avocado) and the n-hexane layer obtained from the methanol extract by solvent partitioning caused 100% mortality of PWN at low concentrations of 125 and 63 micro g ml-1, respectively. One potent nematicidal compound was isolated from the stem bark of P. americana and its chemical structure was determined to be isoobtusilactone A (1) by mass and NMR spectral analyses. The chemical showed a very strong nematicidal activity against PWN; it caused mortalities of over 97% at concentrations higher than 50 micro g ml-1. Compared with a commercial synthetic nematicide, morantel tartrate, compound 1 showed a little more potent activity. The results suggested that compound 1 may have the potential to be explored as a natural nematicide or be useful as a lead molecule for development of new nematicidal agents for controlling the pine wilt disease caused by B. xylophilus.