Insecticidal Activity of Doxycycline against the Common Bedbug

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Apr 21;64(5):e00005-20. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00005-20. Print 2020 Apr 21.

Abstract

There is an ongoing need for safe and effective anti-bedbug compounds. Here, we tested the toxicity of three antimicrobial agents against bedbugs when administered orally. We reveal that doxycycline has direct insecticidal activity at 250 μg/ml (0.025%) that is particularly strong against immature bedbugs and appears to be independent of antimicrobial activity. Future studies to determine the mechanisms behind this property could be useful for the development of orally active insecticides or anti-bedbug therapeutics.

Keywords: Cimex; bedbug; doxycycline; insecticidal; insecticide; toxicity.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bedbugs / drug effects*
  • Bedbugs / microbiology*
  • Doxycycline / pharmacology*
  • Insecticides / pharmacology
  • Penicillins / pharmacology
  • Rifampin / pharmacology
  • Symbiosis / drug effects
  • Wolbachia / drug effects*
  • Wolbachia / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Insecticides
  • Penicillins
  • Doxycycline
  • Rifampin