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

Author(s): K.T. Kamakshi, R. Raveen, Samuel Tennyson, S. Arivoli and A. Daniel Reegan

Abstract: A preliminary screening was performed with hexane, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, carbon tetrachloride and aqueous extracts of Cereus hildmannianus cladodes for ovicidal and repellent activities against the dengue vector, Aedes aegypti. Ovicidal bioassay was performed at concentrations of 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L and mortality observed after 96 h period of exposure. A moderate ovicidal activity was noted only in Cereus hildmannianus petroleum ether extract with 52.8% at 1000 mg/L. In the case of repellent studies, the petroleum ether extract showed repellent activity with a mean protection time of 137 min at 5.0 mg/cm² dosage against the adult female mosquitoes of Aedes aegypti where bioassays were carried at concentrations of 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 mg/cm². Further studies are needed to elucidate the repellent activities of Cereus hildmannianus crude petroleum ether extract against a wide range of all stages of mosquito species and also the active ingredient(s) of the extract responsible for repellent activity should be identified.