Mitochondrial affectation, DNA damage and AChE inhibition induced by Salvia officinalis essential oil on Aedes aegypti larvae.

The aim of this research study was to understand the mechanism of action of Salvia officinalis (Lamiaceae) essential oil (EO) on Aedes aegypti larvae. We evaluated the effect on DNA damage, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition and mitochondrial enzymatic alterations. The major components were analyzed in silico using OSIRIS and Molispiration free software. Aedes aegypti DNA was extracted from mosquito larvae between third (L3) and fourth (L4) instars to determine the DNA fragmentation or degradation at S. officinalis EO lethal concentrations (LC10, LC20, LC50, and LC90). DNA integrity was assessed in both LCs in larvae treated for 24 h and in larvae homogenized with EO; we also assessed purified DNA larvae by a densitometric analysis. The AChE inhibition was quantified in protein larvae L3-L4 following Ellman's method and the enzymatic activities related to the mitochondrial respiratory chain of mitochondrial proteins was estimated by spectrophotometry. In silico analysis of 1,8-cineol and of α-thujone, major EO components, showed that they were highly permeable in biological membranes without mutagenic risks. Alterations in the integrity of DNA were observed in larvae exposed and homogenized with S. officinalis EO. The EO induced an AChE inhibition of 37 ±â€¯2.6% to IC50. On the other hand, mitochondrial bioenergetics suggest that EO inhibits electrons entry to the respiratory chain, via Complex II. AChE activity alteration causes mortality of individuals, by blocking the insect cholinergic functions. These results indicate that EO affects the integrity of DNA, the mitochondrial respiration chain and the AChE activity.

Toxicidad y afectación en la locomoción de Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille 1811) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) tratados con análogos de girgensohnina / Toxicity and affectation in locomotion of Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille 1811) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) treated with analogues of girgensohnine

Resumen Introducción: Análogos del alcaloide girgensohnina, diseñados y sintetizados para inhibir a la enzima acetilcolinesterasa, han presentado efecto insecticida sobre insectos vectores de enfermedades. Objetivo: Determinar la actividad insecticida de 12 análogos sintéticos de gingersohnina sobre ninfas del primer estadio de Triatoma dimidiata. Materiales y Métodos: Se tomó como referencia el protocolo de la OMS 2005. Ninfas del primer estadio de T. dimidiata fueron expuestas a los análogos por aplicación tópica y exposición a superficies para determinar las dosis letales (DL50 y DL95) y verificar alteración en la locomoción mediante el software Videomex V. Resultados: El análogo 6 presentó la mayor actividad insecticida a las 72h con una mortalidad del 20,8% ± 3,57 para el tratamiento de topicación 25% ± 0,00 para las superficies no porosas. Las dosis letales de la molécula 6 fueron: DL50 1036,8 ± 0,38 ng/insecto y DL95 3991,4 ± 0,50 ng/insecto respectivamente. Con respecto a la locomoción, el análogo indujo un comportamiento similar al insecticida comercial deltametrina.

Abstract Introduction: Analogs of the girgensohnine alkaloid, designed and synthesized to inhibit acetylcholinesterase enzyme, have presented an insecticidal effect on vectors insects of diseases. Objective: To determine the insecticidal activity of 12 synthetic analogs of gingersohnine in first stage nymphs of Triatoma dimidiata. Materials and methods: WHO protocol 2005, using exploratory doses, was used to determine the best molecule according to its mortality. First stage nymphs of T. dimidiata were exposed to different doses of the analogs by topical application and surface exposure. Lethal doses (LD50 and DL95) and alterations in locomotion using Videomex V software were determined. Results: Analog 6 presented the highest insecticidal activity at 72 h with a mortality of 20.8% ± 3.57 for topical treatment and 25%±0,0 for non-porous surfaces evaluation. Analog 6 lethal doses were LD50 1036.8 ± 0.38 ng/insecto and DL95 3991.4 ± 0.508 ng/insecto, respectively. With regard to locomotion, analogue 6 induced a similar behavior to that observed for commercial insecticide deltametrin.

Synthesis of new α-amino nitriles with insecticidal action on Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract Aedes aegypti is the principal vector of arboviral pathogens that may cause diseases as dengue fever, chikungunya and zika. The harmful environmental effects of commercial pesticides coalesced with the development of insecticide-resistant populations encourage the discovery and generation of new alternative products as a tool to reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases. In this work, through the classic three component Strecker reaction of commercial benzaldehydes, cyclic secondary amines and KCN, a new series of nine α-amino nitriles, girgensohnine analogs, has been synthetized and screened for larvicide and adulticide properties against A. aegypti, one of the dominant vectors of dengue, chikungunya and zika in tropical and subtropical areas all over the world. Molecules 3 and 4 were identified as potential larvicidal agents with LC50 values of 50.55 and 69.59 ppm, respectively. Molecule 3 showed 100% of mortality after 2 h of treatment when a concentration of 30 ppm in adulticidal assays was evaluated. Additionally, in order to elucidate the mode of action of these molecules, their acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory properties were evaluated using the Ellman assay. It was found that the molecules possess a weak AChE inhibitory activity with IC50 values between 148.80 and 259.40 µM, indicating that AChE could not be a principal target for insecticide activity.

Alterations of mitochondrial electron transport chain and oxidative stress induced by alkaloid-like α-aminonitriles on Aedes aegypti larvae.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are responsible for dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus transmission in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Due to the absence of vaccines or antiviral drugs for human treatment, the majority of control strategies are targeted at Ae. aegypti elimination. Our research on mosquito control insecticidal agents has previously shown that the alkaloid girgensohnine and its analogues (α-aminonitriles) present in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibition and in vivo insecticidal activity against Ae. aegypti. However, acetylcholinesterase inhibition may not be the only mechanism of action behind these effects. On this basis, the principal aim of this study was to elucidate the possible action mode of four α-aminonitriles on Ae. aegypti by studying other important enzymatic targets, such as mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, key oxidative stress enzymes. Mitochondria were isolated from Ae. aegypti larvae by differential centrifugation, stored at -70°C, and fragmented using ultrasound for 10min. The effects of α-aminonitriles (1 to 4) over enzymatic activities were evaluated using concentrations of 8nM, 2µM, 8µM, and 40µM. Results indicated that α-aminonitriles caused significant NADH dehydrogenase and succinate oxidase inhibition (~44% at the highest concentration tested). Succinate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase activities were found to increase (162% and 106% at 40µM, respectively). It was also observed that these compounds produced catalase inhibition and thus prevented H2O2 reduction, which induced the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, NBT assay showed that compounds 3 and 4 (with 2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl) acetonitrile as substituent) increased by approximately 50% the O2●- concentration in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. It was concluded that the tested compounds act as complex I inhibitors by blocking electron transport and causing electron leak, possibly between complex I and III. Furthermore, α-aminonitriles inhibited catalase activity; compounds 1 and 2 (with piperidine fragment) inhibited glutathione reductase activity and further promoted the accumulation of ROS, which probably induced oxidative stress.

Behavior of detoxifying enzymes of Aedes aegypti exposed to girgensohnine alkaloid analog and Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oil.

Because mosquito control depend on the use of commercial insecticides and resistance has been described in some of them, there is a need to explore new molecules no resistant. In vivo effects of girgensohnine analog 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(piperidin-1-yl)acetonitrile DPPA and Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oil CFEO, on the detoxifying enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), nonspecific esterases (α- and ß-), mixed function oxidases (MFO) and p-NPA esterases were evaluated on a Rockefeller (Rock) and wild Aedes aegypti population from Santander, Colombia (WSant). The action was tested after 24h of exposure at concentrations of 20.10, 35.18 and 70.35mgL-1 of DPPA and 18.45, 30.75 and 61.50mgL-1 of CFEO, respectively. It was found that AChE activity of Rock and WSant was not influenced by the evaluated concentration of DPPA and CFEO (p>0.05), while MFO activity was significantly affected by all CFEO concentrations in WSant (p<0.05). GST, α- and ß-esterase activities were affected in Rock exposed at the highest CFEO concentration, this concentration also modified ß-esterases activity of WSant. DPPA and CFEO sublethal doses induced inhibition of AChE activity on untreated larvae homogenate from 12 to 20% and 18 to 26%, respectively. For untreated adult homogenate, the inhibition activity raised up to 14 to 27% for DPPA and 26 to 34% for CFEO. Elevated levels of detoxifying enzymes, found when CFEO was evaluated, showed a larval sensitivity not observed by the pure compound suggesting that DPPA, contrary to CFEO, was not recognized, transformed or eliminated by the evaluated detoxifying enzymes.

Design, synthesis, acetylcholinesterase inhibition and larvicidal activity of girgensohnine analogs on Aedes aegypti, vector of dengue fever.

Girgensohnine alkaloid was used as a natural model in the design and generation of new alkaloid-like α-aminonitrile series that was completed by the use of SSA-catalyzed Strecker reaction between commercial and inexpensive substituted benzaldehydes, piperidine (pyrrolidine, morpholine and N-methylpiperazine) and acetone cyanohydrin. Calculated ADMETox parameters of the designed analogs revealed their good pharmacokinetic profiles indicating lipophilic characteristics. In vitro AChE enzyme test showed that obtained α-aminonitriles could be considered as AChEIs with micromolar IC50 values ranging from 42.0 to 478.0 µM (10.3-124.0 µg/mL). Among this series, the best AChE inhibitor was the pyrrolidine α-aminonitrile 3 (IC50 = 42 µM), followed by the piperidine α-aminonitriles 2 and 6 (IC50 = 45 µM and IC50 = 51 µM, respectively), and the compound 7 (IC50 = 51 µM). In vivo insecticidal activity of more active AChEIs against Aedes aegypti larvae was also performed showing a good larvicidal activity at concentrations less than 140 ppm, highlighting products 2 and 7 that could serve as lead compounds to develop new potent and selective insecticides.