Presence of cardenolides and ursolic acid from oleander leaves in larvae and frass of Daphnis nerii

Cardenolide glycosides from larvae of the sphingid moth Daphnis nerii reared on oleander leaves, and those from their frass, were examined by HPLC and then isolated preparatively. Most of the cardenolide triosides in the leaves were detected as their corresponding monosides in the larval and frass extracts. From the frass, adynerin was obtained in large amounts, along with nine cardenolide monosides. A decrease of oleandrin due to deacetylation and an increase of adynerin in the frass are discussed.