The contact toxicity and toxic mechanism of essential oils from Pimenta racemosa and Eugenia caryophyllata against Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae).

Haemaphysalis longicornis, which is widely distributed in China, can transmit various tick-borne diseases such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome, babesiosis, rickettsia disease and so on, and do great harm to human health and the development of animal husbandry. Chemical acaricides are the most traditional tick control method, but because of its many shortcomings, there is an urgent need to find a substitute with high efficiency, environmental protection and low toxicity. It has been found that some plant essential oils (EOs) have good insecticidal activity and environmental safety. In this study, the components of EOs from Pimenta racemosa and Eugenia caryophyllata were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and their potential for application in the control of Haemaphysalis longicornis were studied. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the main components of P. racemosa EO were eugenol (64.07%), those of E. caryophyllata EO were Hexadecanoic acid, 2-methylpropyl ester (51.84%) and eugenol (39.76%). Larval packet test showed that the EOs of P. racemosa and E. caryophyllata had significant acaricidal activity against unfed larvae of H. longicornis, with LC50 values of 1.20 mg/mL and 0.47 mg/mL and LC90 values of 8.76 mg/mL and 2.91 mg/mL, respectively. The P. racemosa EO, E. caryophyllata EO and eugenol showed significant acaricidal activity against unfed nymph H. longicornis, with LC50 values of 1.65 mg/mL, 2.29 mg/mL and 0.93 mg/mL and LC90 values of 5.03 mg/mL, 11.01 mg/mL and 4.77 mg/mL, respectively. The P. racemosa EO, E. caryophyllata EO and eugenol showed significant acaricidal activity against unfed adults H. longicornis, with LC50 values of 0.51 mg/mL, 2.57 mg/mL and 1.83 mg/mL and LC90 values of 2.44 mg/mL, 11.44 mg/mL and 2.54 mg/mL, respectively. Enzyme assays revealed that the E. caryophyllata EO and eugenol significantly inhibited the activity of carboxylesterase (CarE), eugenol significantly inhibited the activity of catalase (CAT), and two EOs and eugenol had no significant effect on acetylcholinesterase (AchE) (p < 0.05). The above results suggest that the essential oils from P. racemosa and E. caryophyllata have great potential for use as alternatives to synthetic acaricides for tick control.