Table 1.
Summary of small molecules isolated from insects and their biological activities.
| Family | Genus | Common name | Molecule | Biological activity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants and sawflies) | |||||
| Symphyta | Pergidae | Sawfly | Macrocarpal (1); grandinol (2) | Antimicrobial | 50 |
| Formicidae | Tetramorium | Red ant | Compounds 3--7 | Antimicrobial | 55 |
| Formicidae | Solenopsis | Fire ant | Solenopsin A (8) | Antiangiogenic | 18, 44, 56, 57 |
| Formicidae | Solenopsis | Fire ant | Compounds 9--11 | -- | 58, 59 |
| Formicidae | Tetraponera | Iron ant | Compounds 12--15 | Antiproliferative | 60, 62 |
| Formicidae | Polyrhachis | Black ant | Polyrhadopamines A--E (16--20); Troline (21); compounds 22--30 | Antiinflammatory; antiproliferative; renoprotective | 63--65 |
| Vespidae | Polybia | Wasp | Polybioside (31) | Neuroactive | 70 |
| Coleoptera (beetles) | |||||
| Tenebrionidae | Blaps | Stink beetle | Blapsols A--D (32--35); compounds 24, 36--39 | Antiinflammatory | 90 |
| Scarabaeidae | Catharsius | Dung beetle | Molossusamides A--C (40--42); compounds 38 and 43 | Antiinflammatory | 100 |
| Bruchidae | Bruchidius | Seed beetle | Compounds 44--48 | Antioxidant | 101 |
| Meloidae | Various | Blister beetle | Cantharidin (49) | Antiproliferative; immunomodulatory | 103, 105, 107, 109--113,116, 117 |
| Meloidae | Hycleus | Blister beetle | (R)-(+)-palasonin (50) | -- | 103, 104 |
| Meloidae | Hycleus | Blister beetle | Cantharimide (51); palasonimide (52) | -- | 104 |
| Meloidae | Mylabris | Blister beetle | 5-Hydroxy cantharimide (53); norcantharidin (NCTD, 54) | -- | 39 |
| Synthetic | -- | -- | N-benzylcantharidinamide (55) | Antiproliferative | 122 |
| Synthetic | -- | -- | N-farnesyloxy-norcantharimide (56); N-farnesyl-norcantharimide (57) | Antiproliferative | 123 |
| Synthetic | -- | -- | Compounds 58--59 | Antiproliferative | 125 |
| Synthetic | -- | -- | Compounds 60--69 | Antiproliferative | 126, 127 |
| Blattodea (cockroaches and termites) | |||||
| Blattidae | Periplaneta | American cockroach | Periplatins A--D (70--73); compounds 74--76 | Antiproliferative | 128, 129 |
| Corydiidae | Eupolyphaga | Chinese cockroach | Compounds 77--78; eupolyphagin (79) | Antiproliferative | 137 |
| Corydiidae | Polyphaga | Chinese cockroach | Plancyamides A (80) and B (82), plancypyrazine A (81); plancyols A (83) and B (84) | Antiproliferative | 142 |
| Hemiptera (true bugs, aphids, cicadas and scale insects) | |||||
| Kerriidae | Kerria | Lac insect | Shellolic acid A (85) | Antimicrobial | 152 |
| Kerriidae | Kerria | Lac insect | Shellolic acids B--C (86--87), Laccishellolic acid (88); shellolic acids D–F (89--91) | -- | 152 |
| Pentatomidae | Aspongopus | Chinese stinkbug | Aspongamide A (92) | Active against chronic kidney disease | 156 |
| Pentatomidae | Aspongopus | Chinese stinkbug | Aspongopusamides A--D (93--96) | Antiinflammatory | 157 |
| Pentatomidae | Aspongopus | Chinese stinkbug | Aspongnoids A--C (97--99); asponglactam A (100) | -- | 157 |
| Pentatomidae | Aspongopus | Chinese stinkbug | Compounds 101--109 | Promote neutral stem cell proliferation | 158 |
| Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) | |||||
| Romaleidae | Brachystola | Texas grasshopper | Pancratistatin (110); narciclasine (111); ungeremine (112) | Antiproliferative | 160 |
| Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) | |||||
| Papilionidae | Byasa | Taiwan butterfly | Papilistatin (113) | Antiproliferative | 161 |
| Bombycidae | Bombyx | Silk moth | Compound 114 | Analgesic effects | 162 |
--Not applicable.