Control of Varroa destructor in honey bees (Apis mellifera) with the aqueous extract of Petiveria alliacea and identification of its constituents by LC–MS

Bracho-Pérez J.C.; Tacza-Valverde I.; Chávez-Rojas D.; Aquije-Dapozzo C.L.; Bringas-Salvador J.L.; Vásquez-Castro J.A. · Brazilian Journal of Biology (2026) · DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.297396

Resumen

The aqueous extract of Petiveria alliacea L. (Caryophyllales, Phytolaccaceae) was found to control varroosis caused by Varroa destructor in honey bees (Apis mellifera). Adult female V. destructor mites were immersed in solutions of the aqueous extract at different concentrations (24, 60, 100, 140, 180 and 200 mg L-1). After 24h of exposure, mortality was assessed and the median lethal concentration (LC50) was estimated to be 105.2418 mg L-1. In the direct contact acute toxicity experiments, 0.5 µL of each of the above extract solutions was applied to the thoraces of A. mellifera, and the estimated LC50 was 165.4156 mg L-1, demonstrating the minimal risk of the extract to this insect. Furthermore, the LC50 in A. mellifera after residual contact was 104.904 mg L-1, indicating a greater risk of toxicity. Furthermore, oral toxicity, determined by incorporating various concentrations of the extract (12, 30, 60, 75 and 92 mg L-1) into the diet for 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h of exposure yielded LC50 values of 153.1455, 12.0472, 50.5723 and 73.7513 mg L-1, respectively, suggesting that ingestion poses the greatest risk of toxicity to bees. Finally, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis revealed the presence of 16 compounds in the extract, of which 14 were identified, and the major compounds were two proline derivatives, trans-N-methyl-4methoxyproline and N,N-dimethylproline, followed by N-α-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-valylproline-methyl ester. These results show the promising application potential of P. alliacea for the control of varroosis, but field bioassays are needed to establish the efficiency and possibility of using the acaricidal capacity of this plant to control V. destructor.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina; Universidad Nacional Tecnológica de Lima Sur