Study on Characterization and Pesticidal Evaluation of Diterpenes Isolated from Chloroform Extract of Hedychium spicatum Sm. Rhizomes

A chemical study on the rhizomes of Hedychium spicatum resulted in the isolation and identification of labdane diterpenes, hedychilactone A (1), and B (2). The chemical structure of known compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated based on extensive spectral data analyses and identified by comparing their experimental spectral data with the reported data in the literature. The isolated labdane diterpenes were evaluated for their pesticide effects like nematicidal activity on Meloidogyne incognita, insecticidal activity on Spodoptera litura, and herbicidal activity on Raphanus raphanistrum seeds. The bioactivity of both compounds was predicted with the help of in silico PASS studies. The proteins/enzymes undertaken for docking studies by AutoDock4.2 to validate nematicidal activity was acetylcholinesterase (PBD ID: IC2O), for insecticidal activity was enzyme carboxylesterase (PDB ID: 1CI8), and for herbicidal activity was acetohydroxyacid synthase (PBD ID: 1YHZ). These compounds could be deduced as a viable alternative source of natural pesticidal agents and pave the way for further studies on its mechanistic approaches and field trials to ascertain its pesticidal studies.