title: Antitermitic quinones from Diospyros sylvatica.
abstract: Six quinones were isolated from the chloroform extract of the roots of Diospyros sylvatica and identified as 2-methyl-anthraquinone, plumbagin, diosindigo, diospyrin, isodiospyrin and microphyllone. The effect of the root extract on the orientation and survival of the subterranean termite, Odontotermes obesus was tested. In addition, four of these quinones were tested on the survival of the subterranean termite. In a direct-choice experiment, exposure to an extract-treated filter disc had a significantly repellent effect over the solvent-treated filter disc. The no-choice experiment revealed the toxic property of the extract as well as the tested quinones and showed high mortality of the O. obesus workers after 48 h on forced exposure. The major termiticidal components identified were plumbagin, isodiospyrin and microphyllone while diospyrin was not toxic to termites at the concentration tested. All the quinones are reported for the first time from D. sylvatica.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry Division, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530 003, Andhra Pradesh, India. ganapatyseru@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Seru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganapaty
authors.forename: Pannakal Steve
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fotso
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laatsch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029788:Diospyros / Q000737:chemistry*; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D020049:Isoptera; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011809:Quinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D007302:Insect Repellents; D007306:Insecticides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011809:Quinones