Meliternatin: a feeding deterrent and larvicidal polyoxygenated flavone from Melicope subunifoliolata

We screened more than 60 Malaysian plants against two species of insects and found that Melicope subunifoliolata (Stapf) T.G. Hartley (Rutaceae) showed strong feeding deterrent activity against Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. (Curculionidae) and very good larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera). One anti-insect compound, meliternatin (3,5-dimethoxy-3′,4′,6,7-bismethylendioxyflavone) ( 6) and six other minor polyoxygenated flavones were isolated from M. subunifoliolata. Over 60 Malaysian plants were screened against two species of insects and Melicope subunifoliolata (Rutaceae) was shown to have strong feeding deterrent activity against Sitophilus zeamais and very good larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti. One insecticidal and feeding deterrent compound, meliternatin (3,5-dimethoxy-3′,4′,6,7-bismethylendioxyflavone) and six other polyoxygenated flavones were isolated from M. subunifoliolata.