• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.494-500
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• 2007

The endophytic bruchid pest Callosobruchus maculatus causes severe damage to storage cowpea seeds, leading to economical losses. For this reason the use of $\alpha$-amylase inhibitors to interfere with the pest digestion process has been an interesting alternative to control bruchids. With this aim, $\alpha$-amylase inhibitors from baru seeds (Dipteryx alata) were isolated by affinity chromatographic procedures, causing enhanced inhibition of C. maculatus and Anthonomus grandis $\alpha$-amylases. To attempt further purification, this fraction was applied onto a reversed-phase HPLC column, generating four peaks with remarkable inhibition toward C. maculatus $\alpha$-amylases. SDS-PAGE and MALDI-ToF analysis identified major proteins of approximately 5.0, 11.0, 20.0 and 55 kDa that showed $\alpha$-amylase inhibition. Results of in vivo bioassays using artificial seeds containing 1.0% (w/w) of baru crude extract revealed 40% cowpea weevil larvae mortality. These results provide evidence that several $\alpha$-amylase inhibitors classes, with biotechnological potential, can be isolated from a single plant species.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2015

This study was conducted with n-hexane extracts of sensitive plant Mimosa pudica, mexican poppy Argemone mexicana, panimarich Leucus aspara, water pepper Polygonum hydropiper and shialmutra Blumea lacera weeds against pulse beetle Callosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) for protection of mung bean Vigna radiata grains. The $LC_{50}$ values of the weed extracts ranged from 4.5 to 6.4, 4.1 to 5.6 and 3.6 to 5.5 g/100 mL at 24, 48 and 72 hours of post treatment, respectively. The extracts showed 35 to 69% fecundity and 33 to 63% adult emergence inhibitory effect on the pest, and revealed 13 to 49% grain protection of mung beans. Insect mortality, fecundity and adult emergence inhibitory effects, and grain protection activity increased with increased concentration of the extracts. The shialmutra followed by water pepper extracts revealed better performances in fecundity and adult beetle emergence inhibitory effect compared to the other weeds. The findings proved that the n-hexane extracts of the five weeds are sources of botanical insecticides which may be used in the integrated management of C. chinensis.