Structure-Function Relationships of Phytochemicals in Control of Mosquito Vectors

Mosquito-borne diseases, transmitted by mosquito vectors, continue to cause illness and death in many areas of the world, especially in tropical and subtropical countries. One of the control measures of these diseases has been contingent on mosquito vector control using synthetic chemical insecticides. Due to environmental health concerns of synthetic insecticides and the rise of resistance to synthetic insecticides in mosquitoes, eco-friendly and easily biodegradable natural plant compounds that are potential insecticides are imperative for mosquito vector control and management. Over past decades, searches for insecticidal phytochemicals against mosquitoes have provided a wealth of bioactive insecticidal compounds with various types of chemical structures. This paper provides an overview of compounds from plant sources that are grouped into chemical structural groups containing potential mosquitocidal activities. Each of these groups comprises individual core structure together with large numbers of derivatives. Relationships of chemical structures and toxicities of each compound group and derivatives are highlighted. Natural plant products conferring synergistic activities on cell-based assays with pyrethroid toxicity in relation to their chemical structures are described. Understanding of relationships of bioactive compounds of plant origin belonging to different classes of chemical structures and their activities could be beneficial for effective mosquito vector control measures.