ARTICLE IN PRESS

Journal of Stored Products Research 43 (2007) 290–296

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Screening of Chinese medicinal herbs for bioactivity against Sitophilus

zeamais Motschulsky and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)
Zhi Long Liua,, Swee Hock Gohb,c, Shuit Hung Hob
a
Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100094, PR China
b
Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
c
Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
Accepted 7 June 2006

Abstract

Extracts of 40 species of Chinese medicinal herb from 32 different botanical families were screened for contact, fumigant and feeding-
deterrent activities against the two stored-grain insects Sitophilus zeamais and Tribolium castaneum. Thirty Chinese medicinal herbs
exhibited insecticidal or feeding-deterrent activities against the two species of insects. Extracts of Artemisia argyi, Dictamnus dasycarpus,
Evodia rutaecarpa, Litsea cubeba, Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis, Polygonum aviculare, Rhododendron molle, Sophora flavescens, Stemona
sessilifolia, Tripterygium wilfordii, and Torreya grandis were most active.
r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Chinese medicinal herbs; Contact toxicity; Fumigant toxicity; Feeding deterrency; Sitophilus zeamais; Tribolium castaneum

1. Introduction medicinal herbs against insects (Chiu, 1985, 1989). In

There is a long history of the use of Chinese medicinal
herbs against pests in China. Since time immemorial,
people have known how to use plants against insects (Yang
and Tang, 1988). Even today, in the rural areas of China,
farmers are still using the leaves of Chinaberry (Melia
toosendan Siebold et Zuccarini), dried flowers of yellow
azalea (Rhododendron molle G. Don) and the grass
Euphorbia helioscopia L. to control the larvae of flies in
manure pits. These practices are labor intensive, but often
economically and ecologically sound. They do not require
sophisticated technology. A good botanical insecticide,
toosendanin, was derived from the bark of Chinaberry and
is used against a broad spectrum of fruit and vegetable
pests in China (Zhang et al., 1992). Yang and Tang (1988)
reviewed and listed plant species with insecticidal proper-
ties used in China. Out of 267 plant species listed, more
than 100 are Chinese medicinal plants. However, very few
systematic studies have been conducted to evaluate Chinese
Corresponding author. Tel.: +86 10 62731306; fax: +86 10 62732974.
E-mail address: zhilongliu@cau.edu.cn (Z.L. Liu).
addition to plants collected from the wild, traditional
medicinal plants provide another good source for screen-
ing. The advantage of using traditional medicinal herbs is
that they are readily available in herb shops and they have
been used extensively for medicinal purposes, implying
their low/non-toxicity to humans. For example, Park et al.
(1997) screened the methanol extracts from 77 oriental
medicinal plant species in 42 families for their larvicidal
and antifeedant activities against gipsy moth larvae
(Lymantria dispar L.), the black-tipped sawfly (Acantholy-
da posticalis Matsumura), the fall webworm (Hyphantria
cunea Drury), and the pine caterpillar (Dendrolimus
spectabilis Butler). Sener et al. (1998) also screened some
Turkish medicinal plants for their insecticidal activities
against milkweed bugs (Oncopeltus fasciatus Dallas) and
mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti L.), while Mackeen et al. (2000)
screened 40 Malaysian medicinal plants belonging to 25
families for their brine shrimp toxicity.
The present study was initiated to screen some Chinese
medicinal herbs for bioactivity against two stored-grain
insects, the maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky
and the rust-red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst).

0022-474X/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jspr.2006.06.010
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Z.L. Liu et al. / Journal of Stored Products Research 43 (2007) 290–296 291

2. Material and methods
2.1. Chinese medicinal herb extracts
Table 1 shows the 40 species of Chinese medicinal herbs
from 32 families screened in this study. Selection of the
herbs was based on two criteria: (1) their availability in
Singapore and (2) presence of insecticidal properties
recorded in the literature (Jiangsu New Medical College,
1977; Yang and Tang, 1988). The herbs were purchased
from a Chinese herbal shop, and ethanol extracts of
three Hypericum species were provided by Dr. L.H. Hu
(Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy
of Science). They were identified and ground to a powder
using a mill. Two types of solvents (n-hexane for non-polar
and methanol for polar fractions) were used to extract the
herbs. The herb powder (50 g) was put into a thimble in a
Soxhlet apparatus and extracted with n-hexane (500 mL)
for 24 h to obtain the non-polar fraction. This was followed
by further extraction with methanol for another 24 h to
produce the polar fraction. Both solvents were removed
from the extracts in a rotary evaporator.
2.2. Insects
Sitophilus zeamais and T. castaneum were obtained from
laboratory cultures maintained in the dark in incubators at
3071 1C and 70–80% r.h. Tribolium castaneum was reared
on wheat flour mixed with yeast (10:1, w/w) while
S. zeamais was reared on whole wheat at 12–13% moisture
content.
2.3. Flour disk bioassay
Flour disks were prepared according to the method of
Xie et al. (1996) with some modifications, using a mixture

Table 1
List of screened Chinese medicinal herbs

Plant species Family Common name Pharmaceutical name Parts used

Alangium chinense (Loureiro) Harms Alangiaceae Chinese alangium root Radix Alnagii Leaves
Narcissus tazetta L. var. chinensis Roemer Amaryllidaceae Bulb of Chinese Narcissus Bulbus Narcissi Chinensis Bulb
Quisqualis indica L. Combretaceae Rangoon creeper Fructus quisqualis Fruit
Artemisia argyi Leveille et Vaniot Compositae Mugwort Foliun artemisiae argyi Leaves
Pharbitis nil (L.) Choisy Convolvulaceae Pharbitis seed Semen Pharbitidis Seed
Momordica charantia L. Cucurbitaceae Balsampear Caulis Momordicae Charantiae Vine (leaves)
Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae Nutgrass galingale rhizome Rhizoma Cyperi Rhizome
Dioscorea hypoglauca Palibin Dioscoreaceae Hypoglaucous collett yam rhizome Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Rhizome
Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai Dryopteridaceae Basket fern Rhizoma Dryopteris Crassirhizomae Rhizome
Ricinus communis L. Euphorbiaceae Castor seed Semen Ricini Fruit
Rhododendron molle G. Don Ericaceae Yellow azalea flower Flos Rhododendri Mollis Flower
Hypericum ascyron L. Guttiferae Giant St. John’s wort herb Herba Hyperici Whole grass
Hypericum japonicum Thunberg Guttiferae Japanese St. John’s wort herb Herba Hyperici Japonica Whole grass
Hypericum sampsonii Hance Guttiferae Sampson St. John’s wort herb Herba Hyperici Sampsonii Whole grass
Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f. Guttiferae Common threewingnut root Radix Tripterygii Wilfordii Root
Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi Labiatae Baical skullcap root Radix Scurellariae Root
Litsea cubeba (Loureiro) Persoon Lauraceae Mountain spicy fruit Fructus Listeae Fruit
Gleditsia sinensis Lamarck Leguminosae Chinese honey locust spine Spina Gleditsiae Spine
Sophora flavescens Aiton Leguminosae Lightly yellow sophora root Radix Sophaorae Flavescentis Root
Melia toosendan Siebold et Zuccarini Meliaceae Szechwan Chinaberry fruit Fructus Toosendan Fruit
Morus alba L. Moraceae White mulberry root-bark Cortex Mori Root bark
Areca catechu L. Palmae Areca seed Semen Seed Seed
Pseudolarix kaempferi Gordon Pinaceae Golden larch bark Cortex Pseudolaricis Root/stem bark
Phryma leptostachya L. Phrymataceae — Herba Phrymae Whole grass
Phytolacca acinosa Roxburgh Phytolaccaceae Pokeberry root Radix Phytolaccae Root
Polygonum aviculare L. Polygonaceae Common knotweed Herba Polygoni avicularis Whole grass
Punica granatum L. Punicaceae Pomegranate rind Pericarpium granati Fruit pericarp
Clematis armandii Franchet Ranunculaceae Armand clematis stem Caulis Clematidis Stem
Agrimonia pilosa Ledebour Rosaceae Hairyvein agrimonia herb Herba Agrimoniae Whole grass
Prunus mume (Siebold) Siebold et Zuccarini Rosaceae Smoked plum Fructus Mume Fruit
Clausena lansium (Loureiro) Skeels Rutaceae Root of Chinese Wanpee Radix Clausenae Lansii Root bark
Dictamnus dasycarpus Turcaz Rutaceae Densefruit Pittancy root-bark Cotex Dictamni Root bark
Evodia rutaecarpa Hook f. et Thomas Rutaceae Medicinal evodia fruit Fructus Evodiae Fruit
Brucea javanica (L.) Merrill Simarouloaceae Java brucea friut Fractus Bruceae Fruit
Stemona sessilifolia (Miquel) Miquel Stemonaceae Stemona root Radix Stemonae Root tuber
Torreya grandis Fortune Taxaceae Grand torreya seed Semen Torreyae Seed
Daphne genkea Siebold et Zuccarini Thymelaeaceae Lilac Daphne flower bud Flos Genkwa Flower buds
Stellera chamaejasme L. Thymelaeaceae Chinese stellera Radix Stellerae Root
Daucus carota L. Umbelliferae Wild carrot fruit Fructus Carotae Fruit
Alpinia galanga (L.) Willdenow Zingiberaceae Galanga galangal fruit Fructus Galangae Fruit
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
292 Z.L. Liu et al. / Journal of Stored Products Research 43 (2007) 290–296
of 1.0 g of wheat flour stirred in 5 ml of distilled water. The
extracts were separately dissolved in ethanol or n-hexane to
make stock solution. Aliquots of 50 ml of the stock solution
were added to the flour mixture, and stirred ultrasonically.
The final concentration of each extract in the flour disk was
500 ppm. The same volume of ethanol or n-hexane was
used for controls. Aliquots of 200 ml of this mixture were
measured using an Eppendorf micropipette fitted with a
disposable tip that was cut at the narrow end to produce an
internal diameter of 2 mm. The aliquots were placed on the
bottom of a plastic Petri dish to form disks which were left
in a fume hood overnight to air dry. They were then
transferred to an incubator to equilibrate at 3071 1C and
70–80% r.h. for 48 h. Each flour disk weighed between 36
and 39 mg. The moisture content of each disk was
determined to be 13.570.1% using the Kett’s Grain
moisture tester (Model PB-1D2, Japan).
A no-choice method in which control and treated disks
were placed individually in glass vials, was adopted in this
experiment because stored-product insects, especially
S. zeamais, often broke the flour disks into small pieces.
In the choice method, insects were given a choice between
control and treated disks (Nawrot et al., 1989; Xie et al.,
1996). In practice, however, in the choice method, it was
very difficult to determine whether the small pieces came
from the control or treated disks.
All the insects were starved for 24 h before use. The disks
were placed in glass vials (diameter 2.5 cm, height 5.5 cm)
for weighing. Ten group-weighed, unsexed adults were then
added to each vial prior to subsequent weighing. The
experimental set-up was left in the incubator for 3 days.
The flour disks and live insects were then weighed again
with any mortality of insects recorded. Glass vials contain-
ing treated flour disks but without insects were prepared to
determine if any decrease in weight had occurred due to
evaporation of ethanol, n-hexane, or plant extracts. Five
replicates were prepared. The feeding-deterrence index was
calculated (Isman et al., 1990) as
ðFDIÞð%Þ ¼ 100  ðC  TÞ=C;
where C is the consumption of control disks, and T the
consumption of treated disks
The following criteria were adopted to categorize the
herbs:
FDI%o20%  No feeding deterrence
50%4FDI%X20% + Weak feeding deterrence
70%4FDI%X50% ++ Moderate feeding deterrence
FDI%X70% +++ Strong feeding deterrence
2.4. Contact toxicity using topical application
The extracts were diluted to 50% with n-hexane or
methanol (v/v). Aliquots of 0.5 ml of the dilutions were
applied topically to the dorsal thorax of the two species of
beetles using a Burkard Arnold microapplicator (Burkard
Manufacturing Company Ltd. England). Controls were
prepared using n-hexane or methanol. Both treated and
control insects were then transferred to glass vials (10
insects/vial) with culture media and kept in incubators.
Mortality of insects was observed daily until end-point
mortality (when the number of dead insects no longer
increased with time) was reached 1 week after treatment.
End-point mortality (adjusted for control mortality) equal
to or higher than 50% was assigned a positive designation
(+), indicating the presence of contact toxicity. Adjusted
end-point mortality lower than 50% was assigned a
negative designation ().
2.5. Fumigant toxicity
A Whatman (CAT no. 1001020) filter paper (diameter
2.0 cm) was placed on the underside of the screw cap of a
glass vial (diameter 2.5 cm, height 5.5 cm). The extracts
were diluted to 50% with n-hexane or methanol (v/v), and
20 ml of the diluted solution was added to the filter paper.
The solvent was allowed to evaporate for 30 s before the
cap was placed tightly on the glass vial (with 10 insects
inside) to form a sealed chamber. Preliminary experiments
demonstrated that 30 s were sufficient for the evaporation
of solvents. n-Hexane or methanol was used as controls.
Six replicates were carried out for all treatments and
controls, and they were incubated for 24 h. The insects were
then transferred to clean vials with some culture media
and returned to the incubator for determination of end-
point mortality, which was reached after 1 week. A positive
designation (+) was given when the values of the end-point
mortality (adjusted for control mortality) of insects were
equal to or higher than 50%. Readings lower than 50%
were given a negative designation (), which indicated little
or no fumigant action.
3. Results
Although these Chinese medicinal herbs were chosen
based on the literature listing them as insecticidal plants
(Yang and Tang, 1988), 10 of them, namely, Areca catechu,
Daucus carota, Gleditsia sinensis, Hypericum japonicum,
Hypericum sampsonii, Morus alba, Phryma leptostachya,
Phytolacca acinosa, Prunus mume, and Pseudolarix kaemp-
feri, did not show activities against the two insect species
studied (Table 2).
3.1. Fumigant activity
n-Hexane extracts of 4 Chinese medicinal herbs, namely
Artemisia argyi, Evodia rutaecarpa, Polygonum aviculare,
Quisqualis indica, were found to possess fumigant toxicity
to both species of insects. However, n-hexane extracts
of Alangium chinense and Daphne genkea were demon-
strated to have fumigant activity only against T. castaneum
(Table 2).
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Table 2
Screening results of Chinese medicinal herbs against Sitophilus zeamais and Tribolium castaneum

Plant species Extract Contact toxicitya Fumigant toxicitya Feeding deterrencyb

S. zeamais T. castaneum S. zeamais T. castaneum S. zeamais T. castaneum

Agrimonia pilosa Hexane — — — — — —

Methanol — — — — — —
Alangium chinense Hexane — + — + — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Alpinia galanga Hexane — + — — — —
Methanol — — — — + +

Areca catechu Hexane — — — — — —

Methanol — — — — — —
Artemisia argyi Hexane — + + + + +
Methanol — — — — + +
Brucea javanic Hexane — — — — — —
Methanol — — — — + +
Clausena lansium Hexane — + — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Clematis armandii Hexane — — — — — —
Methanol — — — — + +
Cyperus rotundus Hexane — + — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Daphne genkea Hexane — — — + — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Daucus carota Hexane — — — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Dictamnus dasycarpus Hexane + + — — +++ +++
Methanol — — — — + +
Dioscorea hypoglauca Hexane — — — — + +
Methanol — — — — — —

Dryopteris crassirhizoma Hexane — — — — + +

Methanol — — — — — —
Evodia rutaecarpa Hexane + + + + — +
Methanol — — — — — —
Gleditsia sinensis Hexane — — — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Hypericum ascyron Ethanol — — — — — +
Hypericum japonicum Ethanol — — — — — —

Hypericum sampsonii Ethanol — — — — — —

Litsea cubeba Hexane + + — — ++ ++
Methanol — — — — + +
Melia toosendan Hexane — — — — + +
Methanol — — — — + +

Momordica charantia Hexane — — — — + +

Methanol — — — — — —

Morus alba Hexane — — — — — —

Methanol — — — — — —
Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis Hexane + + — — + +
Methanol — — — — + ++
Pharbitis nil Hexane + + — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
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Table 2 (continued )

Plant species Extract Contact toxicitya Fumigant toxicitya Feeding deterrencyb

S. zeamais T. castaneum S. zeamais T. castaneum S. zeamais T. castaneum

Phryma leptostachya Hexane — — — — — —

Methanol — — — — — —
Phytolacca acinosa Hexane — — — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Polygonum aviculare Hexane — — + + + +
Methanol — — — — ++ ++
Prunus mume Hexane — — — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —

Pseudolarix kaempferi Hexane — — — — — —

Methanol — — — — — —
Punica granatum Hexane + + — — + +
Methanol — — — — + ++
Quisqualis indica Hexane + + + + + +
Methanol — — — — — —
Ricinus communis Hexane + + — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Rhododendron molle Hexane — — — — +++ ++
Methanol + + — — + +
Scutellaria baicalensis Hexane — — — — 0 —
Methanol — — — — + +
Sophora flavescens Hexane + + — — + +
Methanol — — — — +++ ++
Stellera chamaejasme Hexane + + — — — —
Methanol — — — — — —
Stemona sessilifolia Hexane + + — — + +
Methanol + + — — + +
Tripterygium wilfordii Hexane + + — — + +
Methanol — — — — +++ ++

Torreya grandis Hexane + + — — + +

Methanol — — — — — —
a
—, inactive, adjusted end-mortalityo50%; +, active, adjusted end-mortality X50%.
b
—, inactive, FDI% o20%; +, weak, FDI% 20–50%; ++, medium, FDI% 50–70%; +++, strong, FDI% X70%. Feeding deterrence index
(FDI%) ¼ 100  (C–T)/C where C is the consumption of control, and T the consumption of treated insects.

3.2. Contact toxicity
Both n-hexane and methanol extracts of Stemona
sessilifolia demonstrated contact toxicity to both species
of insects. n-Hexane extracts of 12 Chinese medicinal
herbs, namely Dictamnus dasycarpus, E. rutaecarpa, Litsea
cubeba, Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis, Pharbitis nil,
Punica granatum, Q. indica, Ricinus communis, Sophora
flavescens, Stellera chamaejasme, Tripterygium wilfordii,
Torreya grandis, possessed contact toxicity to the two
species of insects. However, the methanol extracts of these
12 Chinese medicinal herbs did not have any contact
toxicity. In contrast, only the methanol extract of R. molle
had contact toxicity to the two species of insects but no
contact toxicity was found in the n-hexane extract of
R. molle (Tables 2 and 3).
n-Hexane extracts of 5 of the Chinese medicinal herbs,
namely, A. chinense, Alpinia galanga, A. argyi, Clausena
lansium and Cyperus rotundus were toxic by contact to only
T. castaneum and were non-toxic to S. zeamais.
3.3. Feeding-deterrent action
Both n-hexane and methanol extracts of 11 Chinese
medicinal herbs, A. argyi, D. dasycarpus, L. cubeba, M.
toosendan, N. tazetta, P. aviculare, P. granatum, R. molle,
S. flavescens, S. sessilifolia, and T. wilfordii were shown to
have feeding-deterrent activity to the two stored-product
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Table 3
Bioactivity of some Chinese medicinal herbs against Sitophilus zeamais and Tribolium castaneum

Plant species Extract Contact toxicity (%)a Fumigant toxicity (%)a Feeding-deterrency (FDI%)b

S. zeamais T. castaneum S. zeamais T. castaneum S. zeamais T. castaneum

Artemisia argyi Hexane — 50 60 75 32.17 39.58

Methanol — — — — 22.89 25.78
Dictamnus dasycarpus Hexane 60 80 — — 84.18 89.55
Methanol — — — — 43.28 39.27
Evodia rutaecarpa Hexane 90 80 100 100 10.30 20.46
Methanol — — — — 19.43 17.65

Litsea cubeba Hexane 50 60 — — 57.04 71.76

Methanol — — — — 26.69 28.07
Melia toosendan Hexane — — — — 25.12 26.54
Methanol — — — — 32.44 36.39
Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis Hexane 55 70 — — 17.08 13.14
Methanol — — — — 45.27 68.30
Polygonum aviculare Hexane — — 55 65 32.14 23.76
Methanol — — — — 62.34 56.48
Quisqualis indica Hexane 90 80 60 70 31.25 29.21
Methanol — — — — 13.21 17.45
Rhododendron molle Hexane — — — — 85.78 68.19
Methanol 50 70 — — 45.42 39.99
Sophora flavescens Hexane 55 65 — — 23.74 24.15
Methanol — 55 — — 88.75 59.78
Stemona sessilifolia Hexane 55 65 — — 20.83 22.47
Methanol 50 60 — — 25.69 24.83
Tripterygium wilfordii Hexane 55 60 — — 28.54 26.78
Methanol — — — — 75.62 50.41
Torreya grandis Hexane 60 55 — — 32.71 21.87
Methanol — — — — 15.84 9.33
a
Adjusted end-point mortality (%), —, less than 50%.
b
Feeding-deterrence index (FDI) (%) ¼ 100  (C–T)/C where C is the consumption of control, and T the consumption of treated insects.

insects. Methanol extracts of 4 Chinese medicinal herbs,
A. galanga, Brucea javanica, Clematis armandii and
Scutellaria baicalensis, were shown to possess feeding-
deterrent activity against both species of insects while
n-hexane extracts had no feeding-deterrent activity.
In contrast, only n-hexane extracts of D. crassirhizoma,
M. charantia, Q. indica and T. grandis demonstrated
feeding-deterrent activity against both species of insects
while methanol extracts had none (Table 2).
Strong feeding-deterrent activity against S. zeamais was
obtained from methanol extracts of S. flavescens and
T. wilfordii, as well as from the n-hexane extracts of
D. dasycarpus and R. molle while moderate feeding-
deterrent activity was obtained from the n-hexane extract
of L. cubeba and the methanol extract of P. aviculare.
Strong feeding-deterrent activity against T. castaneum was
obtained from the methanol extract D. dasycarpus while
moderate feeding-deterrent activity was obtained from
n-hexane extracts of L. cubeba, R. molle and methanol
extracts of N. tazetta, P. aviculare, S. flavescens, and
T. wilfordii (Tables 2 and 3).
4. Discussion
In recent years interest in screening plants for various
insecticidal activities has increased significantly and many
potent compounds have been isolated and identified
(Weinzierl, 1998). Jacobson (1989) suggested that the most
promising botanicals were to be found in the families
Meliaceae, Rutaceae, Asteraceae, Annonaceae, Labiatae,
and Canellaceae. However, in reality, screening programs
have not been limited to these families. Pascual-Villalobos
and Robledo (1999) screened 57 species from 21 different
botanical families from southeastern Spain for anti-insect
activity using the stored-grain pest T. castaneum, while
Wheeler et al. (2001) screened crude methanol extracts of
39 plant samples from 6 species of Trichilia collected in
Costa Rica for growth inhibition activity using Spodoptera
 ARTICLE IN PRESS
296 Z.L. Liu et al. / Journal of Stored Products Research 43 (2007) 290–296
litura F. Since 1985 about 6250 species of plants have been
screened for various insecticidal activities (Simmonds,
2000).
A number of the medicinal herbs presently tested have
been studied previously for pharmaceutical uses, and while
many compounds have been isolated, they might not be
responsible for the insecticidal or feeding-deterrent activity.
Only a few species included in our study have been
screened for feeding-deterrent or insecticidal activity
against insects but not the two species of insects used in
our study. For example, several alkaloids isolated from S.
flavescens and T. wilfordii were toxic to agricultural insect
pests (Chiu, 1985, 1989). Recently, two flavonoids (kurar-
inone and sophoraflavanone G) with strong insecticidal
and fungicidal activity were isolated from S. flavescens
(Zheng et al., 1999). A grayanoid diterpene, rhodojaponin
III, has been isolated from R. molle and found to possess
feeding-deterrent and insecticidal properties against five
insect species (Klocke et al., 1991; Hu et al., 1993). The
feeding-deterrent momordicine II (23-O-b-glucopyranoside
of 3,7,23-trihydroxycucurbita-5, 24-dien-19-al) has been
isolated from M. charantia and found to be active against
red pumpkin beetles (Aulacophora foveicollis Lucas)
(Chandravadana, 1987), cotton leaf armyworm (S. litura)
and oriental armyworm (Pseudaletia separata Walker)
(Yasui et al., 1998). It is yet to be determined whether
the above-mentioned compounds have any activity against
stored-products insects.
Of 40 Chinese medicinal herbs screened in this study, a
large number of them (30) exhibited insecticidal or feeding-
deterrent activities against T. castaneum and S. zeamais. It
is, therefore, likely that several of them have the potential
to provide botanical insecticides or feeding deterrency but
further studies will be needed.
The information on most of the Chinese medicinal herbs
recorded as possessing insecticidal properties in Yang and
Tang (1988) comes from experience of the people but there
is a lack of detailed laboratory data. Our study has
confirmed feeding-deterrent or insecticidal activities of a
number of these Chinese medicinal herbs against two
species of insects. Testing these promising herbs against
other pests of economic importance needs to be under-
taken. The screening of plant extracts for anti-insect
activity, and the isolation and purification of active
compounds are often long, expensive and tedious pro-
cesses. Our next approach will concentrate efforts on a
selection of the most promising Chinese medicinal herbs
from which to fractionate and isolate the active com-
pound(s).
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Dr. L.H. Hu for providing us with the
ethanol extracts of three Hypericum species. We also thank
Dr. H.T.W. Tan for his help in identifying the Chinese
medicinal herbs.
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