Impact of Pinus Essential Oil on Insects: A Review: Impact of Pinus Essential Oil on Insects

Misbah Rehman; Sajida Mushtaq; Sadia Maalik; Moazama Batool; Nazia Ehsan; Ayesha Hafeez

doi:10.54393/mjz.v6i4.178

Authors

Misbah Rehman Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan
Sajida Mushtaq Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan
Sadia Maalik Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan
Moazama Batool Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan
Nazia Ehsan Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Ayesha Hafeez Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/mjz.v6i4.178

Keywords:

Pinus Oil, Insect Control, Insect Repellent, Insect Venom, Insect Vectors, Insect Attractants

Abstract

Insects are considered an important part of the ecosystem as they perform important roles like pollination, nutrient cycling, and pest control. But on the other hand, when they cross the threshold level, they achieve the status of pests. Insect pests cause damage to agricultural products. They also affect the health of people by spreading diseases. Traditionally, Insecticides were used to control insect pests, but they have very adverse effects on humans, animals, and the environment as they cause breathing difficulties and pollution, respectively. But now Essential oils of different plants are used to control them. Concentrated hydrophobic plant liquids containing certain volatile chemical compounds are called essential oils. There are several Essential Oils in which Pinus Essential Oil is discussed. It has various biological effects, which include anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-cancer activities. It also has medicinal properties and holds industrial importance. The Pinaceae family contains 11 genera and about 225 species distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. The most common ingredient present in the Pinus genus is pinene, which has insecticidal, larvicidal, and pesticidal activities against insect pests. It has little or no harmful effect on the environment and non-target organisms.

References

Dewangan B, Panda AK, Kerketta S, Kerketta A, Bhatnagar PS, Mishra R et al. Reassuring Insect Farming Ensures Waste Minimization and Future Food Security. Discover Sustainability. 2025 May; 6(1): 451. doi: 10.1007/s43621-025-01266-x.

Jankielsohn A. The Importance of Insects in Agricultural Ecosystems. Advances in Entomology. 2018 Mar; 6(2): 62-73. doi: 10.4236/ae.2018.62006.

Bashir H, Ammar A, Bashir S, Hassan A, Rashid M. Insects as Allies: The Role of Beneficial Insects in Sustainable Agriculture. Trends in Animal and Plant Sciences. 2023; 23(2): 17-24. doi: 10.62324/TAPS/2023.013.

Begg GS, Cook SM, Dye R, Ferrante M, Franck P, Lavigne C et al. A Functional Overview of Conservation Biological Control. Crop Protection. 2017 Jul; 97: 145-58. doi: 10.1016/j.cropro.2016.11.008.

Schneider L, Rebetez M, Rasmann S. The effect of Climate Change on Invasive Crop Pests Across Biomes. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 2022 Apr; 50: 100895. doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100895.

Belluco S, Bertola M, Montarsi F, Di Martino G, Granato A, Stella R et al. Insects and Public Health: An Overview. Insects. 2023 Feb; 14(3): 240. doi: 10.3390/insects14030240.

Lee DC, Ahn YJ. Laboratory and Simulated Field Bioassays to Evaluate Larvicidal Activity of Pinus densiflora hydrodistillate, Its Constituents and Structurally Related Compounds Against Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens pallens in Relation to Their Inhibitory Effects on Acetylcholinesterase Activity. Insects. 2013 May; 4(2): 217-29. doi: 10.3390/insects4020217.

Samal I, Bhoi TK, Mahanta DK, Paschapur AU. Biology and Management Strategies of Major Insect-Pests of Root and Tuber Crops. In Sustainable Production of Root and Tuber Crops. 2025: 283-295. doi: 10.4324/9781003487159-25.

Bai Y, Wang L, Yuan X. Pesticide Control, Physical Control, or Biological Control? How to Manage Forest Pests and Diseases More Effectively? Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 2023 Jul; 11: 1200268. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1200268.

Shavanov MV, Shigapov II, Niaz A. Biological Methods for Pests and Diseases Control in Agricultural Plants. In AIP Conference Proceedings. 2022 Feb; 2390(1): 030081. doi: 10.1063/5.0070487.

Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Figueiredo TH, Apland JP, Braga MF. Targeting the Glutamatergic System to Counteract Organophosphate Poisoning: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy. Neurobiology of Disease. 2020 Jan; 133: 104406. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.02.017.

Dagg K, Irish S, Wiegand RE, Shililu J, Yewhalaw D, Messenger LA. Evaluation of Toxicity of Clothianidin (Neonicotinoid) and Chlorfenapyr (Pyrrole) Insecticides and Cross-Resistance to Other Public Health Insecticides in Anopheles Arabiensis from Ethiopia. Malaria Journal. 2019 Feb; 18(1): 49. doi: 10.1186/s12936-019-2685-2.

Aroniadou-Anderjaska V, Figueiredo TH, de Araujo Furtado M, Pidoplichko VI, Braga MF. Mechanisms of Organophosphate Toxicity and the Role of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition. Toxics. 2023 Oct; 11(10): 866. doi: 10.3390/toxics11100866.

Pinus L. 2024. (Accessed on 2024 November). Available online: https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-4000029794.

Rhind JP. Melaleuca alternifolia-Tea Tree. Essential Oils: A Comprehensive Handbook for Aromatic Therapy. 2020: 488-93.

Javaid K, Ghafoor GZ, Sharif F, Shahid MG, Shahzad L, Ghafoor N et al. Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Land Use Land Cover Change and Its Impact on Land Surface Temperature of Sialkot City, Pakistan. Scientific Reports. 2023 Dec; 13(1): 22166. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-49608-x.

Kim H, Lee B, Yun KW. Comparison of Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils from Three Pinus Species. Industrial Crops and Products. 2013 Jan; 44: 323-9. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2012.10.026.

Lepikson H. Steam Distillation for Essential Oil Extraction: An Evaluation of Technological Advances Based on an Analysis of Patent Documents. Sustainability. 2022; 14(12): 7119. doi: 10.3390/su14127119.

Dhotre I. A Comprehensive Review on Progression and Innovations in Microwave-Assisted Extraction Technology for Essential Oils. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. 2025 May; 100(5): 894-907. doi: 10.1002/jctb.7823.

Hickman C. Pine Fresh: The Cultural and Medical Context of Pine Scent in Relation to Health from the Forest to the Home. Medical Humanities. 2022 Mar; 48(1): 104-13. doi: 10.1136/medhum-2020-012126.

Papp N, Purger D, Czigle S, Czégényi D, Stranczinger S, Tóth M et al. The Importance of Pine Species in the Ethnomedicine of Transylvania (Romania). Plants. 2022 Sep; 11(18): 2331. doi: 10.3390/plants11182331.

Mirković S, Martinović M, Tadić VM, Nešić I, Jovanović AS, Žugić A. Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils from Selected Pinus Species from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Antibiotics. 2025 Jul; 14(7): 677. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics14070677.

Mirković S, Tadić V, Milenković MT, Ušjak D, Racić G, Bojović D et al. Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils of Different Pinus Species from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Pharmaceutics. 2024 Oct; 16(10): 1331. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16101331.

Sukarno A, Mondiana YQ, Irawan DW, Wiranegara YA, Abror M. Oleoresin Production and Turpentine Component of Pinus oocarpa and Pinus merkusii. in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 2022 Nov; 1104(1): 012016. doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/1104/1/012016.

Sharma KR and Lekha C. Tapping of Pinus roxburghii (chir pine) for Oleoresin in Himachal Pradesh, India. Advances in Forestry Letters. 2013 Sep; 2(3): 51-5.

Kumar M, Kumar A, Kumar R, Konsam B, Pala NA, Bhat JA. Carbon Stock Potential in Pinus roxburghii Forests of Indian Himalayan Regions. Environment, Development and Sustainability. 2021 Aug; 23(8): 12463-78. doi: 10.1007/s10668-020-01178-y.

Santos J, Pereira J, Ferreira N, Paiva N, Ferra J, Magalhães FD et al. Valorization of Non-Timber by-Products from Maritime Pine (Pinus Pinaster, Ait) for Particleboard Production. Industrial Crops and Products. 2021 Sep; 168: 113581. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113581.

Sharma A, Sharma L, Goyal R. GC/MS Characterization, in-Vitro Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils from Pinus Plant Species from Himachal Pradesh, India. Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants. 2020 May; 23(3): 522-31. doi: 10.1080/0972060X.2020.1803147.

Bhardwaj K, Bhardwaj P, Kaur S. Medicinal Value of Secondary Metabolites of Pines grown in Himalayan Region of India. Research Journal of Biotechnology. 2020; 15: 131-40.

Proboningrat A, Fadholly A, Sudjarwo SA, Rantam FA, Achmad AB. The Cytotoxic Activity of Pine Needles Ethanolic Extract of Pinus Merkusii on Hela Cell Lines. In BIO Web of Conferences. 2021; (33): 03001. doi: 10.1051/bioconf/20213303001.

Govindarajan M, Rajeswary M, Benelli G. Chemical Composition, Toxicity and Non-Target Effects of Pinus Kesiya Essential Oil: An Eco-Friendly and Novel Larvicide Against Malaria, Dengue and ymphatic Filariasis Mosquito Vectors. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 2016 Jul; 129: 85-90. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.03.007.

Aditi Sharma AS, Rohit Goyal RG, Lalit Sharma LS. Potential Biological Efficacy of Pinus Plant Species Against Oxidative, Inflammatory and Microbial Disorders. BioMed Central Complementary Alternative Medicine. 2016; 16. doi: 10.1186/s12906-016-1011-6.

Sadeghi AM, Fallah HH, Tajalizadekhoob Y, Mirarefin M, Taheri E, Saeednia S et al. Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Pinus eldarica by HPLC. Journal of Medicinal Plants. 2014 Mar; 13(49): 22-33. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1352259.

Gad HA, Ramadan GR, El-Bakry AM, El-Sabrout AM, Abdelgaleil SA. Monoterpenes: Promising Natural Products for Public Health Insect Control-A Review. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. 2022 Apr; 42(2): 1059-75. doi: 10.1007/s42690-021-00692-4.

Ma S, Jia R, Guo M, Qin K, Zhang L. Insecticidal Activity of Essential Oil from Cephalotaxus Sinensis and Its Main Components Against Various Agricultural Pests. Industrial Crops and Products. 2020 Aug; 150: 112403. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2020.112403.

Chohan TA, Chohan TA, Mumtaz MZ, Alam MW, Naseer I, Riaz A et al. Insecticidal Potential of α-Pinene and β-Caryophyllene against Myzus persicae and Their Impacts on Gene Expression. Phyton (0031-9457). 2023 Jul; 92(7). doi: 10.32604/phyton.2023.026945.

Mitić ZS, Jovanović B, Jovanović SČ, Stojanović-Radić ZZ, Mihajilov-Krstev T, Jovanović NM et al. Essential Oils of Pinus halepensis and P. heldreichii: Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Insect Larvicidal Activity. Industrial Crops and Products. 2019 Nov; 140: 111702. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.111702.

Mitić ZS, Jovanović B, Jovanović SČ, Mihajilov-Krstev T, Stojanović-Radić ZZ, Cvetković VJ et al. Comparative Study of the Essential Oils of Four Pinus Species: Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Insect Larvicidal Activity. Industrial Crops and Products. 2018 Jan; 111: 55-62. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.10.004.

Cvetković VJ, Jovanović B, Lazarević M, Jovanović N, Savić-Zdravković D, Mitrović T et al. Changes in the Wing Shape and Size in Drosophila Melanogaster Treated with Food Grade Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles (E171)–A Multigenerational Study. Chemosphere. 2020 Dec; 261: 127787. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127787.

Al-Ghanim KA, Krishnappa K, Pandiyan J, Nicoletti M, Gurunathan B, Govindarajan M. Insecticidal Potential of Matricaria Chamomilla’s Essential Oil and Its Components (E)-β-farnesene, germacrene D, and α-bisabolol Oxide a Against Agricultural Pests, Malaria, and Zika Virus Vectors. Agriculture. 2023 Mar; 13(4): 779. doi: 10.3390/agriculture13040779.

Green PW. Insect-Derived Compounds Affect the Behaviour of Liposcelis Bostrychophila: Effects of Combination and Structure. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2011 Jul; 47(3): 262-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jspr.2011.02.004.

Adebisi O, Dolma SK, Verma PK, Singh B, Reddy SE. Volatile, Nonvolatile Composition and Biological Activities of Ageratum houstonianum Mill. Against Diamondback Moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) and aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 2019 Dec; 57: 908-15.

Kawahara AY, Reeves LE, Barber JR, Black SH. Eight Simple Actions That Individuals Can Take to Save Insects from Global Declines. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2021 Jan; 118(2): e2002547117. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2002547117.

Caren J, Zhu YC, Read QD, Du Y. Risk Assessment of Effects of Essential Oils on Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.). Insects. 2025 Mar; 16(3): 303. doi: 10.3390/insects16030303.