Abstract

MELLO, Cícero B. et al. Effects of the essential oil obtained from Pilocarpus spicatus Saint-Hilaire (Rutaceae) on the development of Rhodnius prolixus nymphae. Rev. bras. farmacogn. [online]. 2007, vol.17, n.4, pp. 514-520. ISSN 0102-695X.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-695X2007000400007.

Bioassays against fifth-instar nymphae of Rhodnius prolixus were conducted with essential oil of Pilocarpus spicatus extracted by hydrodistillation. The main results may be summarized as follows: (i) high levels of toxicity and paralysis together with discrete moulting inhibition were caused by topical application of either 0.5 µL or 1.0 µL per insect of the crude essential oil; (ii) partial fagoinhibition, high moulting inhibition, prolonged intermoulting period and high number of paralyzed insects, but no toxicity were observed after oral treatment using either 5 µL or 10 µL of Pilocarpus spilcatus essential oil per mL of ingested blood meal. The importance of these results in relation to the relevant biological events in R. prolixus is herein discussed.

Keywords : Rhodnius prolixus; Pilocarpus spicatus; essential oil.