Insecticidal Activity and Phytochemical Profiling of Oudneya africana Extract against Tenebrio Molitor

Linda Rouari; Abderraouf Benslama; Farouk Benaceur; Abdelmalek Rouari; Mohamed Raouf Benmakrelouf; Hicham Benhammouda; Zineb Souilem; Ibtisame Kadri; Safia  Nouacer; Salah Eddine Sadine

doi:10.56093/aaz.v65i4.178089

Authors

Linda Rouari Laboratory of Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems (LVCEA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa, Algeria ² Research Unit on Medicinal Plants (URPM), Biotechnology Research Center (CRBt), Constantine, Algeria https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2577-5064
Abderraouf Benslama Laboratory of Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems (LVCEA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8986-0688
Farouk Benaceur Research Unit on Medicinal Plants (URPM), Biotechnology Research Center (CRBt), Constantine, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8148-6038
Abdelmalek Rouari Laboratory of Saharan Bioresources: Preservation and Valorization, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Ouargla, Ouargla, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5127-654X
Mohamed Raouf Benmakrelouf Laboratory of Modeling and Scientific and Technological Development (MSTD), Faculty of Mathematics, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene, Algiers, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2914-111X
Hicham Benhammouda Laboratory of Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems (LVCEA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa, Algeria https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1439-9972
Zineb Souilem Laboratory of Mathematics and Applied Sciences (LMSA), Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1243-2607
Ibtisame Kadri Laboratory of Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems (LVCEA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa, Algeria https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1807-8517
Safia Nouacer Laboratory of Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems (LVCEA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa, Algeria https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8857-5675
Salah Eddine Sadine Laboratory of Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems (LVCEA), Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0026-8280

https://doi.org/10.56093/aaz.v65i4.178089

Keywords:

Insecticidal activity, Oudneya africana, Phenolic compounds, Tenebrio molitor, Ghardaïa

Abstract

Stored-product insects contribute substantially to post-harvest losses worldwide, highlighting the urgent demand for sustainable alternatives to synthetic insecticides. The increasing use of chemical insecticides has generated concerns regarding environmental contamination and the development of resistant insect populations, reinforcing the need for safer pest management strategies. Plant-derived bioactive compounds have attracted considerable attention because of their biodegradability, low environmental persistence, and reduced toxicity toward non-target organisms. Oudneya africana R.Br. (Brassicaceae) is recognized for its diverse phytochemical profile. To our knowledge, no previous study has investigated the insecticidal activity of Oudneya africana against Tenebrio molitor. This study assessed the contact toxicity of an ethanolic extract of Oudneya africana against larval and adult stages of Tenebrio molitor. Bioassays were performed at concentrations ranging from 10 to 50 mg mL- ¹, with mortality monitored for 72 h. Qualitative phytochemical screening detected alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, quinones, coumarins, and terpenoids. HPLC profiling tentatively indicated the presence of quercetin, gallic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, nicotinic acid, rutin, adonitol, chlorogenic acid, coumaric acid, and ascorbic acid through comparison of their retention times with those of reference standards. Mortality increased progressively with extract concentration in larvae, whereas adults exhibited a weaker and non-significant concentration-dependent response. Larvae showed lower LC50 (19.65 mg mL-¹) than adults (LC50 = 42.96 mg mL-¹). Lethal time analysis indicated faster toxicity in larvae (LT50 = 9.82 h) than in adults (LT50 = 77.37 h). GLM analysis revealed significant effects of extract concentration and developmental stage, with no significant interaction. Molecular docking predicted favorable interactions of quercetin and catechin with Tenebrio molitor α-amylase, suggesting a possible interaction with this digestive enzyme. These results indicate that Oudneya africana may represent a potential source for the development of more environmentally sustainable botanical insecticides.

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