Non-food bioactive products for insecticides (I): Pesticidal activities and control efficieny of derivatives based on the natural alkaloid matrine

[Display omitted] •Hybrids of the natural alkaloid matrine were prepared as botanical pesticides.•Two compounds displayed about 7.0 folds more promising acaricidal activity of that of matrine.•Two compounds exhibited 2.6 folds more pronounced insecticidal activity of that of matrine. To obtain novel potentially botanical insecticides from non-food bioactive products for an Integrated Pest Management system, a series of monosaccharides-matrine conjugates were prepared by modifications of the natural alkaloid matrine from Sophora flavescens under ultrasonic irradiation (yields were increased from 18 to 62% (without ultrasound) to 48–67 %, whereas the amount of reactants was reduced, especially the reaction time was sharply decreased from 3−16 h (without ultrasound) to 1 h). Against Mythimna separata,3f and If (2.6 folds of that of matrine) exhibited the most promising insecticidal activity; against Tetranychus cinnabarinus,3d and 3e (about 7.0 folds of that of matrine) showed the most pronounced acaricidal activity. Especially 3d and 3e displayed good control effects in the greenhouse.