BIOTRANSFORMATION OF ALPHA-TERPINENE IN COMMON CUTWORM LARVAE (SPODOPTERA-LITURA FABRICIUS)

alpha-Terpinene was mixed in an artificial diet at a concentration of 10 mg/g of diet, and the diet was fed to the last instar larvae of com mon cutworm, Spodoptera litura Fabricius. Metabolites were recovered f rom frass and analyzed spectroscopically. The alpha-terpinene was tran sformed mainly to 4-isopropyl-1,3-cyclohexadienoic acid and cumic acid . The allylic methyl group of alpha-terpinene was preferentially oxidi zed. The results indicate that the intestinal bacteria probably partic ipated in the metabolism of alpha-terpinene. The aerobically active in testinal bacteria transformed alpha-terpinene to 4-isopropyl-1,3-cyclo hexadienemethanol, and the anaerobically active intestinal bacteria tr ansformed alpha-terpinene to p-cymene.