Effects of Teucrium polium L. (Lamiaceae) essential oil and α-pinene on the detoxifying- and intermediary engaged enzymes of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, 1879 (Lep.: Pyralidae)

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of Teucrium polium L. essential oil (Tp EO) and α-pinene as its major component on the detoxifying- and intermediary-engaged enzymes of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller. Fourth instar larvae were separately fed on the treated artificial diets incorporated with LC50 concentration of Tp EO (4.91 μl ml-1) and α-pinene (10.66 μl ml-1). After three time intervals (24, 48, 72 hours), larval hemolymph was extracted to determine enzymatic activities. Activity of esterase, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, aldolase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase were decreased in the treatments compared with the control. No significant differences were observed between some enzymes in the treated larvae highlighting their ineffectively role to detoxify and to metabolize Tp EO and α-pinene in the hemolyph of E. kuehniella larvae.

Keywords

• Teucrium polium L.
• flour moth
• essential oil
• detoxifying enzymes
• phenoloxidase
• toxicity