Mechanism of action of insecticidal secondary metabolites of plant origin

Insect pest management is facing the economic and ecological challenge worldwide due to the human and environmental hazards caused by majority of the synthetic pesticide chemicals. Identification of novel effective insecticidal compounds is essential to combat increasing resistance rates. Botanicals containing active insecticidal phytochemicals appear to be promising to address some of these problems. Therefore, there is a continuous need to explore new active molecules with different mechanisms of action. Secondary metabolites present in plants apparently function as defense (toxic), which inhibits reproduction and other processes. The phytochemical biomolecules could be used for maximizing the effectiveness and specificity in future insecticide design with specific or multiple target sites, while ensuring the economic and ecological sustainability. In this article, the current state of knowledge on phytochemical sources and insecticidal activity, their mechanism of action in insects, resistance, and promising advances made in phytochemical research are reviewed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.