Study on the Antimicrobial Activity of the Defensive Secretion of Tenebrio molitor L.

Objective:To study on the chemical components and the antimicrobial activities of the defensive secretion of Tenebrio molitor L..Methods: The secretion was extracted by dichloromethane and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS).Then Oxford Cup method was used in detecting and discussing the antimicrobial activities of the secretion against Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus,Candida albicans,Aspergillus niger and Penicillium citrinum.Dilute-plate method was used to detect and discuss the minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) of the standard materials of methyl-p-benzoquinone(MBQ) and p-cresol on the tested strains.Results: The secretion included seven kinds of chemicals,such as MBQ,p-cresol,tricosane and so forth.Its inhibitory intensity: Penicillium citrinumEscherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureusCandida albicansAspergillus niger.Conclusion: The secretion was more effective in inhibiting the growth of the five species of microbes than the standard materials of MBQ and p-cresol.