SECONDARY METABOLITES OF THE ANNONACEAE, SOLANACEAE AND MELIACEAE FAMILIES USED AS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF INSECTS

Abstract

Plant secondary metabolites are responsible of bioactivity against plant insects. Due to the problems that pesticides have caused, both in the environment and human health, a reappearance in research on plant extracts for the control of insects has taken place. The present work is a review of published literature on bioactive derivatives obtained from species of the Annonaceae, Meliaceae and Solanaceae plant families. Polar compounds of species from the three families have been found to have biological activity. Azadiractin and meliartenin are active compounds in the Meliaceae family, while the acetogenins squamocin and annonacin are important in the Annonaceae, and in the Solanaceae the alkaloids and steroidal glycosides are the most important active compounds. Results of available published papers indicate that biological activity of the extracts, which are complex mixtures of secondary compounds, are major than isolated metabolites. Most of the articles reviewed present bioassays in vitro, and field activity of these compounds is unknown. Keywords: insects pests, plant extracts, biological activity, secondary compounds.