Phytoconstituents with contact toxicity and antifeedant activities from Englerodaphne subcordata (Meisn) Engl. (Thymelaeaceae) crude leaf extracts

Englerodaphne subcordata (Meisn) Engl. (Thymelaeaceae) is a shrub that grows in dry evergreen forests, acacia woodlands and wooded grasslands. Phytochemical evaluation of the ethyl acetate and methanol crude leaf extracts of the plant led to the isolation of seven known compounds; β-amyrin acetate (1), 3-hydroxy-11-oxoolean-12-ene (2), dihydronitidine (3), dihydrochelerythrine (4), nagilactone (5), quercetin (6) and kaempferol-3-O-β-galactoside (7). The compounds showed moderate contact toxicity and antifeedant activities against Sitophilus zeamais and Prostephanus truncatus, insect pests of stored maize.