Effect of Phenothiazines on the Development of the Cotton Leaf Worm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Szőcs, G. and Seiler, N. (2002) Effect of Phenothiazines on the Development of the Cotton Leaf Worm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica, 37 (4). pp. 365-373. ISSN 0238-1249

Preview

Text aphyt.37.2002.4.7.pdf Download (83kB) | Preview

Abstract

Calmodulin is a ubiquitous Ca2+-binding protein, which has numerous functions in cell biology, including cAMP-dependent signal transduction and cell division. Drugs with a phenothiazine ring system have been used for decades in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychoses, and their anticancer potential has been reported. Here we present the first evidence for the disruption of normal insect development by low doses of two typical phenothiazines, chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine, admi­nis­ter­ed via a semi-synthetic diet to larvae of the cotton leaf worm (Spo­dop­tera littoralis; Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a polyphagous pest of various crops. At 0.3 percent trifluoperazine in the diet the development of the larvae to the adult stage was completely prevented. In view of their mo­derate toxicity to vertebrates, including humans, and in view of the availa­bi­lity of numerous phenothiazine drugs at reasonable costs, agricultural appli­cations of phenothiazines appear possible.

Actions (login required)

Edit Item