Antitermitic and antifungal properties of selected bark extractives

Abstract

Screening trials were conducted to determine the antitermitic and antifungal properties of acetone: hexane: water (A:H:W) bark extracts obtained from five northeastern trees: Pinus resinosa, P. strobus, Carya ovata Mill., Quercus rubra, and Acer rubrum.Extract-treated (0.07 g/ml) cellulose pads were used to evaluate antitermitic properties, while extract-treated (0.01 and 0.1 g/ml) glucose-asparagine growth media inoculated with Lenzites trabea were used to evaluate antifungal properties.Complete termite mortality occurred on cellulose pads treated with the extracts from C. ovata and Q. rubra.Near complete mortality was observed with the P. strobus extracts.Significant antifungal effects were observed on the growth media treated with bark extracts of C. ovata, Q. rubra, and P. strobus.Flasks treated with extracts at the 0.1 g/ml levels exhibited the greater effect.