p-Anisaldehyde: Acaricidal Component of Pimpinella anisum Seed Oil against the House Dust Mites Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus

Abstract

The acaricidal activity of anise seed oil-derived p-anisaldehyde and commercially available components of anise seed oil was examined against Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus and compared with those of the synthetic acaricides, benzyl benzoate and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). On the basis of LD₅₀ values, the compound most toxic to D. farinae adults was p-anisaldehyde (1.11 μg/cm²) followed by benzyl benzoate (9.32 μg/cm²), DEET (36.84 μg/cm²), 3-carene (42.10 μg/cm²), and estragol (43.23 μg/cm²). Against D. pteronyssinus adults, p-anisaldehyde (0.98 μg/cm²) was much more effective than benzyl benzoate (6.54 μg/cm²), DEET (17.79 μg/cm²), 3-carene (39.84 μg/cm²), and estragol (40.11 μg/cm²). p-Anisaldehyde was about 8.4 and 6.7 times more toxic than benzyl benzoate against D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus adults, respectively. The results suggested that p-anisaldehyde may be useful as a lead compound for the development of new agents for the selective control of house dust mites.

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