Chemical constituents and insecticidal activity of essential oil of Paullinia pinnata L (Sapindaceae)

The chemical constituents and insecticidal activity of essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of the leaves of Paullinia pinnata Linn (Sapindaceae) are being reported. The essential oil were analysed by using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Different concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 mg/mL) of P. pinnata essential oil prepared separately and diluted in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were tested on the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais. The main constituents of the oil were pentadecanoic acid (17.9%), isoaromadendrene epoxide (11.5%) and wine lactone (11.2%). Other significant compounds of the essential oil were eremophilene (6.9%) and phytol (6.2%). The essential oil displayed 100% mortality (fumigant toxicity) against S. zeamais adults at tested concentration of 150 mg/mL with lethal concentrations (LC50) of 51.87 mg/mL air. This is the first report on the chemical constituents and insecticidal activity of essential oil of P. pinnata and may be explore as a potential natural herbal plant for the control of insect pest.