Identification of Some Chemical Components of the Essential Oil from Molasses Grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) and their Activity Against Cattle-Tick (Boophilus microplus)

The essential oil of molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) has shown virtually 100% lethal effect on larvae of the cattle-tick (Boophilus microplus) within 10 min exposure. GC/MS analysis of the essential oil led to the identification of six major components: propionic acid, butyric acid, phenylethyl alcohol, hexanal, 1,8-cineole and 9 -E-eicosene. Two of those components (1,8-cineole and n-hexanal) have also shown individually 100% lethal effect on cattle-tick larvae within 10 min. The presence of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol was assigned to a contaminant from commercially supplied diethyl ether used for the essential oil extraction.