Investigating Antitermitic Compounds from Australian White Cypress Heartwood (Callitris glaucophylla Thompson et Johnson) Against Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki

Abstract

Antitermitic activities of extracts obtained from the heartwood of Australian white cypress (Callitris glaucophylla Thompson et Johnson) were investigated in an attempt to detect and identify the presence of biologically active compounds against Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Extraction of compounds was achieved by successive extraction using dichloromethane and methanol. Three sesquiterpene alcohols, guaiol, α-eudesmol and β-eudesmol and two monoterpene acids, (−)-citronellic acid and geranic acid, were found in the C. glaucophylla heartwood extracts based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Antitermitic activity of each fraction obtained from methanol extracts was demonstrated by repellent and no-choice feeding tests. One of the strong termiticidal active compounds identified was columellarin and another sesquiterpene lactone fraction showed repellent activity.