title: The termiticidal activity of Sextonia rubra (Mez) van der Werff (Lauraceae) extract and its active constituent rubrynolide.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Termites are degradation agents that inflict severe damage on wood. Some long-lasting Amazonian trees can resist these insects by producing toxic secondary metabolites. These metabolites could potentially replace synthetic termiticidal products which are becoming more restricted to use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sextonia rubra is resistant to termite-induced degradation. It has been demonstrated that this species naturally produces an ethyl-acetate-soluble termiticidal metabolite, rubrynolide, to protect its wood. Assays in the presence of tropical and invasive termites established that both rubrynolide and crude ethyl acetate extract from S. rubra wood can be used as a treatment for the protection of sensitive woods against termites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rubrynolide and S. rubra extract are promising candidates for the replacement of synthetic termiticides.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, UMR ECOFOG, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Cayenne, France. alice.rodrigues@pop.com.br
authors.forename: Alice M S
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amusant
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beauchêne
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eparvier
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Leménager
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baudassé
authors.forename: Laila S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Espindola
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stien
mesh_terms: D000080:Acetals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D000475:Alkenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D005616:French Guiana; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D020049:Isoptera / Q000187:drug effects*; D019770:Lauraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000080:Acetals; D000475:Alkenes; D007306:Insecticides; D010936:Plant Extracts; C511467:rubrenolide