Toxic Effects of Ficus benghalensis Latex Based Combinatorial Formulations on Various Enzymatic Parameters in Indian White Termite Odontotermes obesus

In the present investigation, various bioassays were conducted to evaluate the alteration in levels of various enzymes i.e. alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase and acetylcholinesterase. For this purpose worker termites were treated with sub-lethal doses of 40% and 80% of 24 hrs LD50 of latex-based combinatorial formulations and observations were taken at 4 hours intervals up to 24 hours. Ficus benghalensis crude latex and its combinatorial mixtures, like C-MLT-A, CU-MLT-A, AQ-MLT, P-MLT and EA-MLT significantly altered the level of enzymes in Odontotermes obesus and this effect found time and dose-dependent. Reduction or increase in enzymes was calculated by using the corresponding control. The maximum decrease in acid phosphatase level was observed at 16 h when termites were treated with 80% of LD50 of B-MLT-B and P-MLT i.e. 82.84% at 16 h of treatment. A similar dose caused a very slight decrease in glutamate pyruvate transaminase at 4 h of treatment but with the increase in time. Further decrease was noted in other successive treatments that were significant at p > 0.05. Similarly, 40% and 80% of LD50 of the C-MLT-B mixture caused significant (p > 0.05) decrease in alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase level at 16 h treatment i.e. 93.42%, 89.46% and 95.89%, 88.17% respectively. The level of acetylcholinesterase was also found to be decreased when termites were treated with 40% and 80% of LD50 of C-MLT-B mixture i.e. 92.72% and 97.27% respectively. All the above alterations noted in levels of various enzymes confirm the action of latex ingredients on worker termites that were anti-feedant or deterrent types. These ingredients can be used to control not only termites but also other phytophagous insects.

Study on the Insecticidal and Antifeedant Activity of Extracts from Portulaca oleracea L. on Aphis sp.

[Objective] The experiment studied on insecticidal and antifeedant action of on Portulaca oleracea L.to provide theoretical basis for developing a new botanical insecticide by taking Portulaca oleracea L.as a raw material.[Method] The insecticidal activities of the ethanol extracts and 5 kinds of extracts with petroleum ether,chloroform,ethyl acetate,n-butanol,water from Portulaca oleracea L..against Aphis sp.was studied;Leaves are using drug treatments of 5 extracts anti-feedant activity of Aphis sp.[Result] The results showed that 95% ethanol extract displayed high contact activity to Aphis sp.The corrected mortality after 48 h reached 95.4 % under the concentration of 50.00 mg·ml-1 and the insecticidal activities of 5 extracts against Aphis sp.was in the order that petroleum ether > chloroform > n-butanol > ethyl acetate >water.Five kinds of anti-feeding activity in the extract of the order for the water> ethyl acetate> n-butanol > chloroform >petroleum ether.[Conclusion] The extract from Portulaca oleracea L.has a strong contact toxicity of pesticide active on Aphis sp.substances and for a small polar compounds,the strong anti-feeding activity is a kind of larger polar compounds.