Identification and antifungal activity of novel organic compounds found in cuticular and internal lipids of medically important flies.

Novel organic compounds found in the cuticular and internal lipids of medically important flies were identified. Uracil, 9-tricosene, 1-oleoyl glycerol, dimethyl suberate and butyl stearate were tested for their potential antifungal activity. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of the compounds against reference strains of fungi were determined. Uracil and dimethyl suberate slightly inhibited the growth of entomopathogenic fungi. The cuticular and internal lipids of Calliphora vicina, Calliphora vomitoria, Sarcophaga carnaria and Musca domestica were studied by gas chromatography (GC) combined with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A comparison of the lipid extracts between the preimaginal and mature stages showed adults flies contained a higher total content of the identified components. Furthermore, their amounts distinctly predominated in the internal lipids of all the species. The amount of 9-tricosene was the highest in adults of C. vicina, while the larvae and pupae had a definitively lower amount of this compound. Uracil was found to be the most abundant component in extracts obtained from C. vomitoria especially in the internal lipids of adults. 1-oleoyl glycerol was detected in all of the examined species of flies. It was most abundant in the internal extracts isolated from the larvae of C. vicina and the pupae of C. vomitoria. Suberic acid dimethyl ester was found in the larval and pupal internal lipids of C. vicina and S. carnaria in low amounts. Butyl stearate was identified only in the internal lipids of the larvae and adults of houseflies.