Abstract:
The antifeedant activities of the Erythrina alkaloids from the seeds, seed pods and flowers of
Erythrina latissima were investigated in laboratory dual- choice bioassays using third-instar Spodoptera littoralis
(Boisduval) larvae. The new compound (+)-11 -methoxy-10-oxoerysotramidine (1) from the flowers, showed
potent dose dependant activity at concentration ³ 500 ppm while (+)-10,11-dioxoerysotramidine (2) also new
from the flowers showed potent dose dependant activity at concentration ³100 ppm. Three known compounds
(+)-erysotrine, (+)-erysotramidine, (+)-erythraline, (+)-11 -hydroxyerysotramidine showed potent dose
dependant antifeedant activity at concentrations ³100 ppm while (+)-10,11-dioxoerysotrine and (+)-11b-
hydroxyerysotramidine also a known compounds showed potent dose dependant antifeedant activity at
concentrations ³ 300 ppm. Three known compounds (+)-11 -methoxyerysotramidine, (+)-8-oxoerythraline
and (+)-15(16)b-D-glucoerysodine showed no appreciable change in antifeedant activity with concentration
change.
