Larvicidal Activities of Five Essential Oils Against Aedes aegypti (L.) Larvae (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract

Present study was conducted to evaluate the larvicidal activity of essential oils from Eucalyptus citriodora leaves, Peganum harmala leaves, Azadirachta indica Seeds, Cocos nucifera fruit and Turpentine tree resin against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes larvae. Oils were extracted by steam distillation (Reverse Dean-Stark) method. Different serial dilutions of each oil (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.62, 7.81, 3.90, 1.90, 0.97 ppm) were used to carry out the laboratory bioassays. The percentage mortality of mosquito’s species Aedes aegypti (L.) when exposed to different concentrations of oils was calculated after 24 h exposure. Similarly relative toxicity (LC₅₀) values of five essential oils against Aedes aegypti (L.) were also calculated. All tested essential oils demonstrated significant larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti (L.), with LC₅₀ values ranging from 29.013 to 294.980 ppm. Turpentine oil was considered highly toxic as it was capable of killing 100 % larvae of Ae. aegypti after 24 h of treatment at concentration of 1000 ppm with lowest LC₅₀ values (29.013). It can be concluded from this study that all the essential oils had remarkable larvicidal properties and be used effectively against Aedes aegypti (L.) larvae.