p-Anisaldehyde: acaricidal component of Pimpinella anisum seed oil against the house dust mites Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.

The acaricidal activity of anise seed oil-derived p-anisaldehyde and commercially available components of anise seed oil was examined against Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus and compared with those of the synthetic acaricides, benzyl benzoate and N,N-diethyl- m-toluamide (DEET). On the basis of LD 50 values, the compound most toxic to D. farinae adults was p-anisaldehyde (1.11 microg/cm2) followed by benzyl benzoate (9.32 microg/cm2), DEET (36.84 microg/cm2), 3-carene (42.10 microg/cm2), and estragol (43.23 microg/cm2). Against D. pteronyssinus adults, p-anisaldehyde (0.98 microg/cm2) was much more effective than benzyl benzoate (6.54 microg/cm2), DEET (17.79 microg/cm2), 3-carene (39.84 microg/cm 2), and estragol (40.11 microg/cm2). p-Anisaldehyde was about 8.4 and 6.7 times more toxic than benzyl benzoate against D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus adults, respectively. The results suggested that p-anisaldehyde may be useful as a lead compound for the development of new agents for the selective control of house dust mites.