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. 2024 Jul 18;14(1):82.
doi: 10.1186/s13568-024-01734-z.

Action of dithiocarbimates salts on the honey bee and its pathogen Nosema ceranae

André Henrique de Oliveira  1 , Mayura Marques Magalhães Rubinger  2 , Anderson da Silva Rabello  3 , Nathália Matias Albuini-Oliveira  3 , Antonio Eustáquio Carneiro Vidigal  3 , Marcelo Ribeiro Leite de Oliveira  3 , Eder do Couto Tavares  4 , José Eduardo Serrão  5
Affiliations

Action of dithiocarbimates salts on the honey bee and its pathogen Nosema ceranae

André Henrique de Oliveira et al. AMB Express. .

Abstract

Apis mellifera, crucial pollinators for both native and cultivated plants, also yield various products such as honey, wax, royal jelly, and propolis, extensively utilized in the food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics industries. Nosema ceranae, a prevalent microsporidian worldwide, stands as a significant pathogen for A. mellifera, showing resistance to conventional antibiotics. Consequently, the exploration of novel compounds for N. ceranae control becomes imperative. Dithiocarbimate derivatives emerge as promising antifungal candidates under evaluation for combating various pathogens, particularly those affecting plants. This study assessed the toxicity profile of six dithiocarbimate derivatives on A. mellifera worker survival and N. ceranae pathogen. Among these, four compounds exhibited minimal bee mortality and proceeded to further evaluation against N. ceranae. In vitro assays demonstrated their inhibitory effects on spore germination. Remarkably, the most potent compound suppressed N. ceranae spores by 62% at a concentration of 20 µmol L-1in vivo. Thus, these dithiocarbimate derivatives represent promising new antifungal agents for combatting nosemosis in honey bee populations.

Keywords: Apis mellifera; Fungicide; Microsporidia; Pathogens.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Syntheses of zinc-dithiocarbimate (1), zinc-trithiocarbimate (2), and allyldithiocarbimate (3) salts of tetraphenylphosphonium (A) and tetrabutylammonium (B), and the codes used for the NMR attributions
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Number (mean ± sd) of viable Nosema ceranae spores after exposure in vitro to compounds derived from dithiocarbimates and control group. Different letters above bars indicate significant difference among compounds based on Tukey test at 5% of significance level obtained from five independent biological replications
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Number (mean ± sd) of Nosema ceranae spores in the midgut of Apis mellifera eight days post-inoculation, after treatments in vivo with compounds derived from dithiocarbimate. Different letters above bars indicate significant difference among compounds based on Tukey test at 5% of significance level obtained from 10 independent biological replications
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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