Cantharidin (C10H12O4) a potent vesicant and antifeedant agent, is produced by beetles belongs to families Meloidae and Oedemeridae (Coleoptera). Several studies to date have been focused on cantharidin secretions in blister beetles, and recently with a few reports on cantharidin-related compounds. The present investigation was carried out aiming to detect and isolate cantharidin and some other important compounds from Mylabris pustulata (Thunberg) from Tamil Nadu, India. Hit-spectrum of cantharidin had a peak in the chromatogram with the retention time (RT). RT-13.59 and ionization provided mass spectra with base peaks at m/z 96 and 128, methanone at m/z 81.0 and 99.1 (RT- 16.94), Alpha-terpinyl acetate at m/z 93.1, 121.1 and 136.1 (RT-9.96). As clearly indicated by the present results, the successful application of the proposed method is suitable for cantharidin analysis from the blister beetle M.pustulata.
