TERMITICIDAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ACTIVITY OF VITEX NEGUNDO LEAF EXTRACT AGAINST SUB-TERRANEAN TERMITE, ODONTOTERMES HORNI

Abstract

Subterranean termites are destructive pests causing heavy economic losses in agriculture, forestry and wooden buildings. The present study was carried out to evaluate the termiticidal potential of Vitex negundo L. leaf extract against Odontotermes horni by toxicity, phytochemical and biochemical analyses. Ethyl acetate leaf extract was prepared by Soxhlet extraction, and its toxicity was tested by the filter paper method. Probit analysis showed a concentration and time dependent toxicity with LC₅₀ of 2.589% and LT₅₀ of 23.10 h. The GC–MS analysis revealed 15 phytochemical constituents. Estragole (11.34%) was the major compound followed by linalool (2.60%), isoborneol (2.36%) and eucalyptol (1.89%). The extract showed 0.473 ± 0.003 mg GAE g-1 total phenolics and 2.29 ± 0.02 mg RE g-1 total flavonoids indicating the presence of biologically active secondary metabolites. Biochemical studies revealed that V. negundo treatment significantly decreased the protein content from 957.00 ± 7.76 to 932.00 ± 8.12 μg mL⁻¹ and inhibited acetylcholinesterase (27.18%) and mixed-function oxidase activities (37.50%), suggesting disruption of neural transmission and detoxification pathways. The overall results suggested that the V. negundo has a prominent termiticidal activity which was due to its various phytochemical constituents and physiological effects on termites.