Integrative Biology Journals

Natural Products and Bioprospecting ›› 2025, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (2): 12-12.DOI: 10.1007/s13659-024-00492-6

• ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Essential oil and furanosesquiterpenes from myrrh oleo-gum resin: a breakthrough in mosquito vector management

Eleonora Spinozzi1, Marta Ferrati1, Cecilia Baldassarri2, Paolo Rossi2, Guido Favia2, Giorgio Cameli1, Giovanni Benelli3, Angelo Canale3, Livia De Fazi3, Roman Pavela4,5, Luana Quassinti6, Cristiano Giordani7,8, Fabrizio Araniti9, Loredana Cappellacci1, Riccardo Petrelli1, Filippo Maggi1   

  1. 1. Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP) Research Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032, Camerino, Italy;
    2. School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy;
    3. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy;
    4. Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507, 161 06, Prague, Czech Republic;
    5. Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea;
    6. School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy;
    7. Instituto de Física, Universidad de Antioquia, UdeA, Calle 70 No 52-21, 050010, Medellín, Colombia;
    8. Grupo Productos Naturales Marinos, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, 050010, Medellín, Colombia;
    9. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Produzione, Territorio, Agroenergia, Università Statale di Milano, Via Celoria N. 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
  • Received:2024-10-26 Accepted:2024-12-17 Online:2025-05-17 Published:2025-04-25
  • Contact: Eleonora Spinozzi, E-mail:eleonora.spinozzi@unicam.it
  • Supported by:
    This research was granted by the project PRIN 2022 “Bioformulations for controlled release of botanical pesticides for sustainable agriculture” (prot. 202274BK9L) supported by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR). Roman Pavela would like to thank the Technology agency of the Czech Republic for its financial support concerning botanical pesticide (Project No. FW06010376).

Essential oil and furanosesquiterpenes from myrrh oleo-gum resin: a breakthrough in mosquito vector management

Eleonora Spinozzi1, Marta Ferrati1, Cecilia Baldassarri2, Paolo Rossi2, Guido Favia2, Giorgio Cameli1, Giovanni Benelli3, Angelo Canale3, Livia De Fazi3, Roman Pavela4,5, Luana Quassinti6, Cristiano Giordani7,8, Fabrizio Araniti9, Loredana Cappellacci1, Riccardo Petrelli1, Filippo Maggi1   

  1. 1. Chemistry Interdisciplinary Project (ChIP) Research Center, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Madonna delle Carceri, 62032, Camerino, Italy;
    2. School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, 62032, Camerino, Italy;
    3. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy;
    4. Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507, 161 06, Prague, Czech Republic;
    5. Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea;
    6. School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy;
    7. Instituto de Física, Universidad de Antioquia, UdeA, Calle 70 No 52-21, 050010, Medellín, Colombia;
    8. Grupo Productos Naturales Marinos, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, 050010, Medellín, Colombia;
    9. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, Produzione, Territorio, Agroenergia, Università Statale di Milano, Via Celoria N. 2, 20133, Milan, Italy
  • 通讯作者: Eleonora Spinozzi, E-mail:eleonora.spinozzi@unicam.it
  • 基金资助:
    This research was granted by the project PRIN 2022 “Bioformulations for controlled release of botanical pesticides for sustainable agriculture” (prot. 202274BK9L) supported by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR). Roman Pavela would like to thank the Technology agency of the Czech Republic for its financial support concerning botanical pesticide (Project No. FW06010376).

Abstract: Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors of various pathogens of public health concern and replacing conventional insecticides remains a challenge. In this regard, natural products represent valuable sources of potential insecticidal compounds, thus increasingly attracting research interest. Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl. (Burseraceae) is a medicinal plant whose oleo-gum resin is used in food, cosmetics, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals. Herein, the larvicidal potential of its essential oil (EO) was assessed on four mosquito species (Aedes albopictus Skuse, Aedes aegypti L., Anopheles gambiae Giles and Anopheles stephensi Liston), with LC50 values ranging from 4.42 to 16.80 μg/mL. The bio-guided EO fractionation identified furanosesquiterpenes as the main larvicidal compounds. A GC-MS-driven untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed 32 affected metabolic pathways in treated larvae. The EO non-target toxicity on Daphnia magna Straus (LC50 = 4.51 μL/L) and its cytotoxicity on a human kidney cell line (HEK293) (IC50 of 14.38 μg/mL) were also assessed. This study shows the potential of plant products as innovative insecticidal agents and lays the groundwork for the possible exploitation of C. myrrha EO in sustainable approaches for mosquito management.

Key words: Arbovirus vector, Commiphora myrrha, Aedes aegypti, Anopheles spp., Bioinsecticide

摘要: Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors of various pathogens of public health concern and replacing conventional insecticides remains a challenge. In this regard, natural products represent valuable sources of potential insecticidal compounds, thus increasingly attracting research interest. Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl. (Burseraceae) is a medicinal plant whose oleo-gum resin is used in food, cosmetics, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals. Herein, the larvicidal potential of its essential oil (EO) was assessed on four mosquito species (Aedes albopictus Skuse, Aedes aegypti L., Anopheles gambiae Giles and Anopheles stephensi Liston), with LC50 values ranging from 4.42 to 16.80 μg/mL. The bio-guided EO fractionation identified furanosesquiterpenes as the main larvicidal compounds. A GC-MS-driven untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed 32 affected metabolic pathways in treated larvae. The EO non-target toxicity on Daphnia magna Straus (LC50 = 4.51 μL/L) and its cytotoxicity on a human kidney cell line (HEK293) (IC50 of 14.38 μg/mL) were also assessed. This study shows the potential of plant products as innovative insecticidal agents and lays the groundwork for the possible exploitation of C. myrrha EO in sustainable approaches for mosquito management.

关键词: Arbovirus vector, Commiphora myrrha, Aedes aegypti, Anopheles spp., Bioinsecticide