Annonins are a group of chemical compounds classified as

acetogenin Acetogenins are a class of polyketide natural products found in plants of the family Annonaceae. They are characterized by linear 32- or 34-carbon chains containing oxygenated functional groups including hydroxyls, ketones, epoxides, tetrahyd ...

s. They are found in the extracts of ''

Annona ''Annona'' or Anona (from Taíno ''annon'') is a genus of flowering plants in the pawpaw/ sugar apple family, Annonaceae. It is the second largest genus in the family after '' Guatteria'', containing approximately 166

'' seeds ('' A. squamosa'' and '' A. muricata''). Annonin-based bioinsecticides are used to control

Coleoptera Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

(beetle) pests commonly found in stored organic cereal and beans in the country of Brazil. Other different types of annonin-based insecticides, derived from ''A. mucosa,'' fight off

lepidopteran Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organisms, making it ...

(moth) pests that infest cabbage leaves, also found in the tropical climates of Brazil. The benefit of using these bioinsecticides is their relatively low cost and no

phytotoxicity Phytotoxicity describes any adverse effects on plant growth, physiology, or metabolism caused by a chemical substance, such as high levels of fertilizers, herbicides, heavy metals, or nanoparticles. General phytotoxic effects include altered plan ...

. These annonin molecules act as overpowering inhibitors of complex I (NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase) in the electron-transport chain in the mitochondria of quarry pests. In cell membranes of these same pests, annonins also inhibit coenzyme NADH, causing these arthropods to die.

References

Plant toxin insecticides {{biochem-stub