Mite-Control Activities of Active Constituents Isolated from Pelargonium graveolens Against House Dust Mites

The mite-control activities of materials obtained from Pelargonium graveolens oil against Dermatophagoides farinae and D. pteronyssinus were examined using an impregnated fabric disk bioassay and were compared with those shown by commercial benzyl benzoate and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). Purification of the biologically active constituents from P. graveolens oil was done by silica gel chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. The structures of the active components were analyzed by EI/MS, $^{1}H$-NMR, $^{13}C$-NMR, $^{1}H-^{13}C$ COSY-NMR, and DEPT-NMR spectra, and were identified as geraniol ($C_{10}H_{18}O$, MW 154.25, trans-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-l-ol) and $\beta$-citronellol ($C_{10}H_{20}O$, MW 156.27, 3,7-dimethyl-6-octen-l-o1). Based on the $LD_{50}$ values, the most toxic compound was geraniol (0.26${\mu}g/cm^{2}$), followed by $\beta$-citronellol (0.28${\mu}g/cm^{2}$), benzyl benzoate (10.03${\mu}g/cm^{2}$), and DEET (37.12${\mu}g/cm^{2}$) against D. farillae. In the case of D. pteronyssinus, geraniol (0.28${\mu}g/cm^{2}$) was the most toxic, followed by $\beta$-citronellol (0.29${\mu}g/cm^{2}$), benzyl benzoate (9.58${\mu}g/cm^{2}$), and DEET (18.23${\mu}g/cm^{2}$). These results suggest that D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus may be controlled more effectively by the application of geraniol and $\beta$-citronellol than benzyl benzoate and DEET. Furthermore, geraniol and $\beta$-citronellol isolated from P. graveolens could be useful for managing populations of D. farinae and D. pterollyssinus.