BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE COMPONENTS OF ANISE - TOXICITY AND INTERACTIONS WITH INSECTICIDES IN INSECTS

The biological activity of components of anise tops was studied with insects. trans-Anethole was found to be the major insecticidal agent present in anise oil (56% by weight) derived from anise tops, with an LO50, of 75 µg/fly when topically applied to houseflies. The toxicity of nine other anise components (anisaldehyde, estragole, anisyl alcohol, anisic acid, p-cresol, p-creosol, eugenol, hydroquinone, and acetaldehyde) to houseflies was also studied. Anethole and anisaldehyde were both found to increase the toxicity to houseflies when applied simultaneously with parathion, paraoxon, carbaryl, carbofuran, DDT, or pyrethrum. Also, anethole fed to houseflies as 0.5% of their diet resulted in increased insect mortalities due to topically applied parathion or paraoxon in comparison to flies fed a diet without anethole. Further experiments with houseflies which had been fed with anethole as part of their diet indicated that the increased toxicity of paraoxon resulted apparently from an increased penetration of the insecticide into the insect body and a retardation of its degradation to nontoxic, water-soluble metabolites. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.