Vol. 2, Issue 1, Part A (2015)

Author(s): Zeinab Sh. Abou-Elnaga

Abstract: Mosquito-borne diseases have an economic impact, including loss in commercial and labor outputs, however, no part of the world is free from vector-borne diseases. One of the most effective alternative approaches under the environmental sustainable control program is to explore the floral biodiversity and enter the field of using safer insecticides of botanical origin as a simple method of mosquito control. The current study was undertaken to investigate the larvicidal activity of phytochemicals from A. Mexicana Linn. Against the medically important vectors Cx. pipiens and Ae. Aegypti. Leaf water extract as well as different column chromatography elutes (hexane, chloroform, methanol and water) extracted from the seeds of A. mexicana were bio assayed against 3^rd larval instars of Cx. pipiens and Ae. Aegypti. The observations recorded after 24 hour and 48 hour of treatment showed a strong significant larvicidal activity of A. mexicana seeds chloroform extract followed by seeds methanol extract against 3^rd instar larvae of Cx. pipiens with LC₅₀ values 9.63, and 23.29 mg/l, respectively. In comparison, Ae. Aegypti showed a slightly insignificant difference in response towards treatment with chloroform and methanol seed extracts with LC₅₀ values 12.59 and 25.21 mg/l, respectively. In general, A. mexicana plant extracts have potential for the development of new and safe control products for mosquitoes. Complementary studies on isolation of bioactive ingredients may provide innovative lead products for efficient and effective field application of mosquito control.

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