Enzyme activity in the flesh fly parasarcophaga dux thomson influenced by dill compounds, myristicin and apiol

In this study, the newly emerged adults of Parasarcophaga dux were treated topically with various doses of myristicin and apiol isolated from roots of dill plant, Anethum graveolens. The compounds toxicity and the dehydrogenase activities of the treated stage and its subsequent developmental stages were studied. The results indicated that apiol is more toxic than myristicin. The spectrophotometric evaluation exhibited changes in the dehydrogenase activities after treatments. Compounds increased the activities of both alpha- glycerophosphate [GPDH] and malate dehydrogenase [MDH] in first half of metamorphosis [immature stages]. But, the level of malic enzyme [ME] activities of the various stages was obviously decreased