Antifeedant

Antifeedants are organic compounds produced by plants to repel herbivores through distaste or toxicity.

These chemical compounds are typically classified as secondary metabolites in that they are not essential for the metabolism of the plant, but instead confer longevity.

[4] "Plant-derived insecticides (e.g., rotenone, veratridines, pyrethrins, and nicotine) have been used for insect control since antiquity.

For example, variations on pyrethrin have spawned a large number of synthetic insecticides called pyrethroids.

Examples are provided by cruciferous vegetables including mustard, cabbage, and horseradish, which release pungent oils containing glucosinolates when the plant material is chewed, cut, or otherwise damaged.