20.500.12556/RUL-182860 Potential acaricide 2-Heptatone induces brain apoptosis and negatively affects survival in honey bees comparison with thymol Varroa destructor is probably one of the greatest threats to honey bees. A potential natural acaricide, 2-heptanone (2 H) has shown promise in controlling mite populations in honey bee colonies, but the effects of prolonged systemic administration of 2 H on honey bee health remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effects of prolonged exposure to different concentrations of 2 H on honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) survival, stress response, and neural system, comparing these effects with thymol. Sublethal effects were assessed by measuring the activity of two enzymes in bee heads and thoraces: acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which regulates neurotransmission, and glutathione S-transferase (GST), a detoxifying enzyme involved in the stress response. Brain cell death was assessed using the TUNEL assay. Carniolan honey bee workers were exposed to different concentrations of 2 H and thymol. Significant mortality caused by 2 H was observed starting at 0.8 ppm (w/v), while thymol-induced mortality was significant only at 25 ppm (w/v). Neither compound influenced GST activity. Thymol did not have any effect on the bee nervous system, whereas 2 H exhibited neurotoxic effects, inhibiting AChE activity at concentrations of 0.8, 1.2 and 1.6 ppm (w/v) and inducing apoptosis in the bee brain at a concentration of 1.2 ppm (w/v). The greater toxicity of 2 H compared to thymol, particularly regarding its negative neural effects and impact on survival at the tested concentrations, indicates that its use for mite control should be approached with caution and is not recommended under the specific exposure scenarios examined in this study. 2-heptanone thymol Apis mellifera carnica acetylcholinesterase glutathione s-transferase neurotoxicity true false true Angleški jezik Angleški jezik Članek v reviji 2026-05-26 09:37:34 2026-05-26 09:37:35 2026-05-27 04:39:59 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 Str. 1-8 article 118723 Vol. 302 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno apc 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 638 0147-6513 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118723 243547907 RAZ_Golob_Spela_2025.pdf RAZ_Golob_Spela_2025.pdf 1 373C628594F456654896B38D14CC593A 5aa9fce8274a1d22fb7ea504faef0bcb12869bbb4d9cdd04faf0f96866e5217e dd72fa62-58d5-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=234479 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651325010681?via%3Dihub#ab0020 0 c4c8a2f7-58d5-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=234478 Biotehniška fakulteta 0 0 0