Isolation and Identification of Terpenoid Compound from Vetiver Grass-Root (Vetiveria zizanioides Stapf) as a Repellent against Termite (Cyrptotermes sp.) through Bioactivity Assay

Abstract

This study reported the isolated compound from vetiver grass-root (Vetiveria zizanioides Stapf) have bioactivity as a repellant against termites. The compounds were extracted by n-hexane solvent using the soxhletation method. The compounds were tested through bioactivity assay using wood pieces added isolated compound as a sample on the final assay, acetone as a blank, and wood pieces without treatment as a control. The result showed that the isolated compound was acquired by separation and purification in the form of colorless oil 0.0225 g. Of the thin-layer chromatography (TLC) assay using eluents of n-Hexane eluent 100%, n-Hexane: DCM 95%, and n-Hexane: Acetone 70%, were obtained a red-purple spot and Rf values which are 0.27, 0.59, and 0.91, respectively. 2-methyl butane-1-amine (C5H13N) was supposed by the structure elucidation of the isolated compound. The molecular weight was 87.1 g/mol as a precursor terpenoid based on the spectrum examination of FTIR and GC-MS. The bioactivity showed that an isolated compound has acted as a repellent against termite (Cryptotermes sp.) with % attractive (0.025 %) and attractiveness index (AI) (-0.039). A negative value of AI indicated that the compound is potential as a repellent against termites.