Table 2.
Common herbs with active ingredients containing insecticidal properties.
| Herb | Active ingredient | Agricultural: Mechanism of action | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant essential oils: (Clove Eucalyptus Lemon grass Mentha species Thymus vulgaris) | Eugenol 1,8-cineole Citronellal Menthol Thymol and carvacrol | Fumigant and contact insecticidal property. It interferes with the neuromodulator: octapamine and GABA-gates chloride channels. (Volatile thus, limited persistence in field) | Koul et al., 2008 |
| Tanacetum parthenium (Feverfew) | Pyrethrum | Neurotoxic: causes rapid knockdown effect, along with hyperactivity and convulsions. Pyrethrum blocks voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve axons (Half-life: 2 h) | Isman, 2006 |
| Turmeric (Curcuma longa) | ar-turmerone and turmerone | Inhibitory activity on insect growth, antifeedant | Tripathi et al., 2002 |
| Ferula asafoetida (Hing) | Asafoetida (oleo-gum-resin) | It acts as an insect repellent and consists of a characteristic unpleasant smell | Kavianpour et al., 2014 |
| Henna (Lawsonia inermis) | Quinones (gives dying properties to henna) | Ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of Henna exhibits an antifungal effect. Quinones are a source of free radicals, which are stable and complex irreversibly with the protein's nucleophilic amino acids and cause an inactivation of protein, thus exhibiting potential antimicrobial functions | Lee et al., 2001; Jeyaseelan et al., 2012 |
| Allium sativum | Allicin (gives the pungent characteristic odor to crushed garlic) | Antifeedant, repellent, inhibitor of molting and respiration, cuticle disruption and fecundity reduction | Prowse et al., 2006 |
| Momordica Charantia (Bitter Melon) | Crude leaf extract, bitter Momordin | Antifeedant | Devanand and Rani, 2008; Ling et al., 2008 |