Larvicidal activity of single and macrocyclic tyrosine derivatives against three important vector mosquitoes

Abstract

The larvicidal activity of several phenylethylamines derived from l-tyrosine against larvae of the mosquito species Anopheles albimanus, Aedes aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus was studied. The results showed that the phenylethylamine nucleus present in different organic compounds with larvicidal activity has moderate larvicidal activity in itself, that the phenolic hydroxyl group is not decisive in larvicidal activity, that macrocyclic amino acids have activity comparable to or less than that observed for simple phenylethylamines, that the hydrocarbon chain on the carboxyl group affects the larvicidal activity, and that intermolecular interactions are crucial to the larvicidal activity of phenylethylamines, which is a new aspect to consider in the design of alternative, environmentally friendly insecticides for vector control with importance for public health. This paper presents a possible structure–larvicidal activity relationship for phenylethylamines with potential to guide the rational search for new nitrogen compounds useful for control of diseases borne by mosquito vectors.