The
in vitro biological activity of polygodial has been reported in the scientific literature to include antifungal and
antimicrobial activities, antihyperalgesia, potent attachment-inhibitory activity, insect antifeedant activity,
antinociception, vasorelaxing action in vessels of rabbit and guinea pig,
anti-inflammatory and
antiallergic activities. Polygodial's primary antifungal action is as a nonionic
surfactant, disrupting the lipid-protein interface of integral proteins nonspecifically, denaturing their functional conformation. It is also likely that polygodial permeates by passive diffusion across the plasma membrane, and once inside the cells may react with a variety of intracellular compounds. It is also an
insecticide with antifeedant properties, which causes insects to starve. Polygodial is produced for chemical defense by
Doridoidea (dorid
nudibranchs), a superfamily of shell-less sea slugs. Polygodial was found to activate chemotactile receptors in the tentacles of
cephalopods (octopus, squid) that prey on sea slugs, triggering avoidance behavior. == References ==