title: Antifungal activity of the termite alkaloid norharmane against the mycelial growth of Metarhizium anisopliae and Aspergillus nomius.
abstract: Antifungal activity of norharmane, a beta-carboline alkaloid found in termites (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae) was tested against two entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae and Aspergillus nomius. It was determined that, at physiological concentration (10 microg ml(-1)), norharmane had no significant effect on A. nomius mycelial growth rate but reduced M. anisopliae growth rate by 11.9%. Contrary to previous findings, we suggest that norharmane has a limited role in disease resistance against fungal pathogens in individual subterranean termites, and we discuss the potential role of this chemical at a colony level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, FL, USA. tomchouv@ufl.edu
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chouvenc
authors.forename: Nan-Yao
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Monica I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002243:Carbolines; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006247:Harmine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D020049:Isoptera / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D052981:Metarhizium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D025282:Mycelium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D014020:Tissue Extracts
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D002243:Carbolines; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D006247:Harmine; C010262:norharman