Planta Med 2004; 70(3): 279-281
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-818925
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

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

Hoi-Seon Lee1
  • 1Research Center for Industrial Development of Biofood Materials and Institute of Agricultural Science & Technology, College of Agriculture, Chonbuk National University, Chonju, South Korea
This work was supported by Korea Research Foundation Grant. (KRF-2002-041-F00010)
Further Information

Publication History

Received: September 5, 2003

Accepted: November 30, 2003

Publication Date:
23 March 2004 (online)

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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Prof. Hoi-Seon Lee

College of Agriculture

Chonbuk National University

Chonju 561-756

South Korea

Phone: +82-63-270-2544

Fax: +82-63-270-2550

Email: hoiseon@chonbuk.ac.kr