Elsevier

Phytochemistry

Volume 40, Issue 4, November 1995, Pages 1097-1099
Phytochemistry

Ecological biochemistry
Termite antifeedant activity in Aframomum melegueta

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Abstract

n-Hexane and methanolic seed extracts of Aframomum melegueta were studied for termite antifeedant activity against workers of Reticulitermes speratus. Strong antifeedant activity was observed when the termite workers were tested in a choice filter paper disk bioassay containing 1% crude extracts. Bioassay-directed fractionation led to the isolation of gingerdione, 5-oxo-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)decan-3-one, [6]-paradol, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)decan-3-one, [6]-gingerol, 5-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)decan-3-one and [6]-shogaol, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)dec-5-en-3-one, as the antifeedant compounds. [6]-Gingerol and [6]-shogaol exhibited the strongest antifeedant activity at 1000 ppm, corresponding to 8 μg cm−2.

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Part 2 in the series ‘Termite antifeedant activity in tropical plants’. For Part 1 see ref. [1].

Present address: Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research, Wakayamadai, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka 618, Japan.

§

Present address: Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria.

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