title: Isolation and identification of mosquito (Aedes aegypti ) biting deterrent fatty acids from male inflorescences of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg).
abstract: Dried male inflorescences of breadfruit ( Artocarpus altilis , Moraceae) are burned in communities throughout Oceania to repel flying insects, including mosquitoes. This study was conducted to identify chemicals responsible for mosquito deterrence. Various crude extracts were evaluated, and the most active, the hydrodistillate, was used for bioassay-guided fractionation. The hydrodistillate and all fractions displayed significant deterrent activity. Exploratory GC-MS analysis revealed more than 100 distinctive peaks, and more than 30 compounds were putatively identified, including a mixture of terpenes, aldehydes, fatty acids, and aromatics. A systematic bioassay-directed study using adult  Aedes aegypti  females identified capric, undecanoic, and lauric acid as primary deterrent constituents. A synthetic mixture of fatty acids present in the most active fraction and individual fatty acids were all significantly more active than N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). These results provide support for this traditional practice and indicate the potential of male breadfruit flowers and fatty acids as mosquito repellents.
authors.affiliation: Biology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. amjones@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: A Maxwell P
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Jerome A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Klun
authors.forename: Charles L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cantrell
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ragone
authors.forename: Kamlesh R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Paula N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Murch
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D031622:Artocarpus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D007302:Insect Repellents; D010936:Plant Extracts