Composition and biological activities of the essential oil of Piper corcovadensis (Miq.) C. DC (Piperaceae)

• Essential oil of Piper corcovadensis exhibited larvicidal and strong oviposition deterrent activities.
• The major constituents of the oil were 1-butyl-3,4-methylenedioxybenzene BMDB and terpinolene.
• Essential oil and terpinolene are able to interfere with the activity of proteases from L4 gut enzymes.
• This paper constitutes the first report of biological activities associated with essential oil of leaves of P. corcovadensis.

Essential oil from fresh leaves of the shrub Piper corcovadensis (Miq.) C. DC was obtained in 0.21% (w/w) yield by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger type apparatus. Thirty-one components, accounting for 96.61% of the leaf oil, were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The major constituents of the oil were 1-butyl-3,4-methylenedioxybenzene (30.62%), terpinolene (17.44%), trans -caryophyllene (6.27%), α-pinene (5.92%), δ-cadinene (4.92%), and Limonene (4.46%). Bioassays against larvae of the Dengue mosquito (Aedes aegypti) revealed that leaf oil (LC50 = 30.52 ppm), terpinolene (LC50 = 31.16 ppm), and pure 1-butyl-3,4-methylenedioxybenzene (LC50 = 22.1 ppm) possessed larvicidal activities and are able to interfere with the activity of proteases from L4 gut enzymes. Additionally, the essential oil exhibited a strong oviposition deterrent activity at 50 and 5 ppm. This paper constitutes the first report of biological activities associated with the essential oil of leaves of P. corcovadensis.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide