title: Toxicity of squamocin on Aedes aegypti larvae, its predators and human cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mosquito Aedes aegypti transmits a virus that causes diverse human diseases, and control of the vector is an important strategy to avoid disease propagation. Plants in the family Annonaceae are recognised as sources of molecules with uses in the medical and agriculture fields. Molecules of secondary metabolites of Annonaceae plants exhibit insecticidal potential against insect pests and vectors, especially acetogenins, showing high toxicity at low doses, which has encouraged research into producing new insecticide molecules. Herein, we identify an acetogenin from Annona mucosa seeds (chemical analysis) and provide the results of toxicity tests against larvae of A. aegypti (target insect) and its predators Culex bigoti and Toxorhynchites theobaldi (non-target insects) and cytotoxicity to human leukocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified squamocin (C37H66O7), a fatty acid with a bis-tetrahydrofuran ring. In A. aegypti, this compound caused behavioural disturbance before larval death and high mortality at low concentrations (LC50= 0.01 µg mL-1and LC90= 0.11 µg mL-1). However, in predators and human leukocytes, squamocin showed no toxicity effect, indicating the selectivity of this molecule for non-target organisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified squamocin from A. mucosa seeds, which exhibited lethal action against A. aegypti and showed selectivity for non-target insects and low cytotoxicity to human cells. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marilza S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Eg
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leandro L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: José C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Zanuncio
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ultrastructural Cell, Department of General Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Serrão
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D031041:Annona / Q000737:chemistry; D003465:Culex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D009033:Culicidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D020387:Food Chain; D005663:Furans / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity*; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D009032:Mosquito Control
chemical_list: D005663:Furans; D007306:Insecticides; D007783:Lactones; C059660:squamocin
keywords: Annona mucosa; acetogenin; non-target insect; selectivity; target insect