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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Protocols for Testing the Toxicity of Novel Insecticidal Chemistries to Mosquitoes
Published on: February 13, 2019
Synergistic insecticidal mode of action between sesquiterpene lactones and a phototoxin, alpha-terthienyl
G Guillet1, J Harmatha, T G Waddell
1University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
The synergistic insecticidal action of characteristic defensive substances produced by the plant family Asteraceae was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. Sesquiterpene lactones isolated from Asteraceae that may form, through a Michael addition process, conjugates with glutathione were administered in a meridic diet to a herbivorous insect, Manduca sexta. By administering sesquiterpenes, variable in vivo reduced glutathione levels were observed in the insect larvae. When the Asteraceae-derived photooxidant alpha-terthienyl was co-administered, lipid peroxidation and larval mortality were significantly enhanced in the treated groups of insects with lowered in vivo glutathione levels.
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