Antimite Activity of Cumin Volatiles Against Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae)

The antimite activities of cumin seed oil-derived cuminaldehyde and eleven commercial components of Cuminum cyminum oil were examined against Dermatophagoides farinae and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus adults and compared with those of benzyl benzoate and N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. Responses varied according to dose and mite species. On the basis of $LD_{50}$ values, the compound most toxic to D. farinae adults was cuminaldehyde ($2.40\mug/cm^2$) followed by benzyl benzoate ($9.32\mug/cm^2$), thymol ($9.43\mug/cm^2$), DEET ($36.84\mug/cm^2$), and 3-carene ($42.11\mug/cm^2$). Against D. pteronyssinus adults, cuminaldehyde ($1.94\mug/cm^2$) was much more effective than benzyl benzoate ($6.50\mug/cm^2$) thymol ($6.92\mug/cm^2$), DEET ($17.79\mug/cm^2$), and 3-carene ($39.85\mug/cm^2$). These results indicate that the antimite activity of cumin seed oil could be caused by cuminaldehyde. Cuminaldehyde was about 3.9 and 3.4 times more toxic than benzyl benzoate against D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus adults, respectively. Therefore, further study is needed to confirm the findings of this study and the possibility of cuminaldehyde as a house dust mite control agent or a lead compound.