Molluscicidal activity of cardiac glycosides isolated from Adenium obesum

BACKGROUND Terrestrial mollusks are one of most important agricultural pests worldwide. Natural phytochemicals have an extended history as a source of pesticides. This study was planned to isolate molluscicidal active compounds from the stems of Adenium obesum. RESULTS The benzene‐soluble fraction of the hydroethanolic extract displayed the most potent molluscicidal activity against Monacha obstructa among different solvent fractions with a median lethal dose (LD50) of 4.91 µg g−1 body weight (bw). The bioactivity‐guided chemical exploration of the benzene‐soluble fraction led to the isolation of two known cardiac glycosides, cerberin and neriifolin which showed significant molluscicidal activity with LD50 values of 5.39 and 4.3 µg g−1 bw, respectively. CONCLUSION Isolation of the cardiac glycoside neriifolin from A. obesum and the molluscicidal activity of cerberin and neriifolin against terrestrial snails are reported for the first time. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry This is the first report on the molluscicidal activity of two cardiac glycoside, cerberin and neriifolin, isolated from Adenium obesum against the terrestrial snail Monacha obstructa.