The Utilization of Fungicide and Insecticide From Medicinal Plants for Conservation of Cultural Properties

Yong Jae Chung¹, Kyu Shik Lee¹, and Sung Hee Han²

Dept. of Conservation Science, National Research Institute of Cultural Properties, Korea ¹
Curatorial Office, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea ²

The germicidal and insecticidal properties of volatile components extracted from star anise (Illicium verum Hooker filius) and clove (Eugenia caryophyllata THUNBERG) were evaluated against five microorganisms and three insects for the purpose of developing biocidal active substances from medicinal plants. The volatile components of star anise and clove showed strong antimicrobial effect against Aspergillus niger, Penicillium funiculosum, Mucor hiemalis, Trichoderma viride, and Aureobasidium pullulans. The extracts of each medicine also showed insecticidal effects against Sitophilus oryzae L., Lyctus linearis GOZE, and Reticulitermes spertus kyushuensis Morimoto. Fumigant toxicities to adult insects were determined. In the case of fumigant toxicity, the extract of star anise showed 100% mortality against R. spertus, S. oryzae, and L. linearis at rates of 2.5µl, 50µl, 250µl /filter paper, respectively but showed no killing effects by clove. The volatile components of star anise and clove were investigated by means of GC/MS. The main constitute, anethole among 20 components from star anise and eugenol among 9 components from clove were identified. The mixture of star anise and clove as the volume ratio of 2 : 1 showed higher properties for antimicrobial and insecticidal effect than each volatile component. A. niger was inhibited by the mixture(125ml/m³) for up to 10 days of exposure. Also, from the result of observing state change of organic materials by volatile extracts of star anise and clove, volatile extracts effects have no effect on natural organic materials of organic cultural properties and can be used as biological control agent. As research contents as above, the insecticidal and germicidal agents from star anise and clove and the mixture of them were more efficient and high level to prevent biological damage for conservation of organic cultural properties such as books and clothing. So they may be used in new development of biological insecticidal and germicidal agents for conservation of cultural properties.

Part 2: Slides from presentation

Author to whom correspondence may be addressed:

Yong Jae Chung
Department of Conservation Science
National Research Institute of Cultural Properties
Seoul 110-050
KOREA

E-mail: iamchung@hanmail.net