Molluscicidal sesquiterpene lactones from species of the tribe Vernonieae (Compositae)

Schistosomiasis is caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, and some snails, particularly of the genus Biomphalaria (Planorbidae), are directly implicated in the transmission of the disease. Continuing with our investigations of bioactive plant constituents, we evaluated and report in the present article, the molluscicidal effects of 16 sesquiterpene lactones, as well as the commercial reagents tetrahydrofuran, furfural, and furfuryl alcohol, on an adult population of B. peregrina. The natural sesquiterpene lactones tested are characteristic constituents of species of the tribe Vernonieae, family Asteraceae. Compounds 1-3 and 7 came from a Bolivian collection of Vernonanthura pinguis, compounds 4 and 5 from an Argentine collection of Cyrtocymura cincta var. cincta, 6 was obtained from a Bolivian collection of Eirmocephala megaphylla, 8-14 from an Argentine collection of Centratherum punctatum ssp. punctatum, and compounds 15 and 16 were obtained by chemical derivatization from 5 and 14, respectively. Ten of the sesquiterpene lactones displayed moderate molluscicidal activity (LD50<100 microg/ml). Commercial reagents were inactive.