Introduction: Since ancient times, the therapeutic virtues of plants have been a part of the traditional pharmacopoeia of several Mediterranean countries, with various uses depending on the country. Among the plants with a great therapeutic potential, Pistacia lentiscus L. and P. atlantica Desf. (Anacardiaceae), are found in the Mediterranean circum-country. The present study was conducted in order to identify and compare the chemical compositions of the essential oils of P. atlantica and P. lentiscus as well as to determine their efficiency as a fumigant toxicity for the control of pest insect Tribolium confusum.
Materials and Methods: In this study, the aerial parts of the plants were hydrodistilled in a Clevenger-type apparatus. The isolated essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The fumigation toxicity of essential oils was evaluated against the adults of T. confusum.
Results: The essential oils of both plants showed qualitative differences in their chemical compositions. The major compounds identified from P. lentiscus were (E)-β-caryophyllene (16.3%) and γ-cadinene (15.6%), while from P. atlantica was terpinen-4-ol (35.6%). Results of the fumigant tests of the essential oils revealed that the essential oil of P. lentiscus was the most toxic. The estimated concentration to kill 50 % of the treated insects (LC₅₀) was 7.5 μL/L air.
Conclusions: The results showed that P. lentiscus essential oil presented an interesting fumigant property and that could be proposed as new potential sources of natural bioinsecticides.