Milbemectin is a mixture of milbemycin A3 and milbemycin A4 in a ratio of 3:7. It is an active acaricide produced from fermentation products of Streptomyces subspecies. It is highly active on various phytophagous mites that live on tea plants, pome fruits, stone fruits, citrus, watermelon, strawberry and egg plants. It is also an insecticide that is active against aphids, cutworms, leafrollers and thrips. It appears to stimulate the release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which affects the chloride channels of the central nervous system.
belongs to the class of organic compounds known as milbemycins. These are a group of macrolides with a structure containing a 16-membered lactone ring fused to a 1,7-dioxaspiroundecane ring system and to either a benzofuran (or hydrogenated derivative thereof). In some cases (e.g. Milbemycin E), the tetrahydrofuranyl ring is missing. Milbemycins can be o-glycosylated at C13 to form Avermectins. Milbemycins are produced by Streptomyces species.
