Caren Joel, Zhu Yu-Cheng, Read Quentin D, Du Yuzhe
Jamie Whitten Delta States Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA.
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Southeast Area, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
Insects. 2025 Mar 14;16(3):303. doi: 10.3390/insects16030303.
The toxicity of synthetic pesticides to non-target organisms has prompted a shift towards more environmentally friendly agricultural pest control methods, including the use of essential oils as possible biopesticides. Before these natural chemicals can be widely adopted for protecting food supplies and human health, it is crucial to evaluate their impacts on pollinators, such as honey bees. In this study, we examined the effects of one commercially available essential oil mixture (EcoTec+) and four essential oil components (β-bisabolene, cinnamaldehyde, 1,8-cineole, and eugenol) on honey bee workers using feeding or spray treatment. We then assessed the responses of esterase (EST), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), acetylcholine esterase (AChE), and P450. EcoTec+ increased the P450 transcript, while bisabolene inhibited EST and AChE, increased GST, and caused a mixed P450 response without being lethal. Cinnamaldehyde exhibited toxicity when ingested, suppressing P450 and eliciting a mixed response in AChE. Cineole inhibited EST but caused a mixed P450 response. Eugenol suppressed EST and AChE and was toxic on contact. We also assayed combinations of each compound with four synthetic formulations representative of the major pesticide categories, though no significant interactions were found. Overall, the essential oils tested did not cause acute lethal toxicity to honey bees; however, their biochemical effects varied, mostly remaining sublethal. These findings suggest that these essential oils could be considered safe for use around honey bees.
合成农药对非靶标生物的毒性促使人们转向更环保的农业害虫防治方法，包括使用香精油作为潜在的生物农药。在这些天然化学物质能够被广泛用于保护粮食供应和人类健康之前，评估它们对传粉者（如蜜蜂）的影响至关重要。在本研究中，我们通过喂食或喷雾处理，研究了一种市售香精油混合物（EcoTec+）和四种香精油成分（β-红没药烯、肉桂醛、1,8-桉叶素和丁香酚）对蜜蜂工蜂的影响。然后，我们评估了酯酶（EST）、谷胱甘肽-S-转移酶（GST）、乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）和P450的反应。EcoTec+增加了P450转录本，而红没药烯抑制了EST和AChE，增加了GST，并引起了P450的混合反应，但未致命。肉桂醛摄入时表现出毒性，抑制P450并在AChE中引起混合反应。桉叶素抑制EST，但引起P450的混合反应。丁香酚抑制EST和AChE，接触时有毒。我们还检测了每种化合物与四种代表主要农药类别的合成制剂的组合，尽管未发现显著相互作用。总体而言，所测试的香精油对蜜蜂未造成急性致命毒性；然而，它们的生化效应各不相同，大多仍为亚致死性。这些发现表明，这些香精油可被认为对蜜蜂周围环境安全。
