Lumbriconereis heteropoda

The tobacco alkaloid nicotine (96) (B-67MI10702) is insecticidal by virtue of its action on the acetylcholine receptor. It was used widely as an aphicide, especially as a fumigant. Another natural product thought to act on the same receptor is the 1,2-dithiolane nereistoxin (97) (B-72MI10703), isolated from the marine annelid Lumbriconereis heteropoda. The active form has been shown to be the ring opened dithiol (98), and the protected form of it, cartap (99), is sold as a rice insecticide. The 1,2,3-trithiane thiocyclam (100) (72SAP7007824) is also active, presumably because of metabolic conversion to (98). 

Several naturally occurring organosulfur compounds show pesticidal activity examples include nereistoxin (77), isolated from the marine worm Lumbriconereis heteropoda, which is insecticidal, and the antifungal antibiotic gliotoxin (78) (Figure 10), produced by the soil fungus Trichoderma viride. 

Along with these purely pharmacological properties, it is advisable to add other important biological activities that are not directly related to human health, in partictilar the antioxidants used in cosmetics, as well as in weedkillers and insecticides for agricultural use. Padan, an insecticide commonly used in Japan, was prepared by using the model of nereistoxin isolated from the annelid (Polydiaeta) Lumbriconereis heteropoda (see Chapter 21). 

Lumbriconereis heteropoda Okaidii and Hashimoto, 1962a, 1962b... 

The best known nitrogen-containing derivative is probably nereistoxin, which is produced by the errant polychaete Lumbriconereis heteropoda (Eunicidae). Its... 

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