Mosquitocidal efficacy of medicinal plant, Nerium oleander(Apocynaceae), leaf and flower extracts against malaria vector,Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae

Mohammad Reza Fakoorziba ^a,
Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard ^a^,^,^,,
Kourosh Azizi ^a,
Fariba Mokhtari ^b

Abstract

Objective

To assess the larvicidal efficacy of five different extracts of Nerium oleander L. (N. oleander) against malaria mosquitoes, Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi), to combat disease.

Methods

The acetone, benzene, petroleum ether, chloroform, and aqueous extracts from leaves and flowers of N. oleander were subjected to distillation process in a Clevenger type glass apparatus model soxhlet. Larvicidal bioassays were performed to determine their LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values, regression equation, and 95% confidence with lower and upper limits were calculated using probit analysis. Mortality effect was recorded after 24 h.

Results

The data indicated that there were significant differences in the lethality (LC₅₀, LC₉₀) values of An. stephensimosquito larvae among most of the various extracts with their controls. The order of potency with five different concentrations of flower extracts was benzene>chloroform> acetone>petroleum>water. The order of potency with similarly five different concentrations of leaf extracts was chloroform>petroleum>benzene>water>acetone.

Conclusions

It was concluded that there was an overall lethal effect of N. oleander extracts against mosquito, An. stephensi larvae which could be manipulated to develop a safe and effective larvicide.

Keywords

Mosquito;
Larvae;
Nerium oleander;
Vector;
Anopheles;
Extract

Foundation project: Supported by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences(Grant No. 91-01-42-6024).

Peer reviewer Dr. Hamid Kassiri, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Entomology, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. Tel: 0098-6113738269, Fax: 0098-6113738282, E-mail: Hamid.Kassiri@yahoo.com

Comments This article examined the mosquito larvicidal activity of N. oleander for its biomedical application. According to the results presented, the crude extracts of N. oleander had good lethal activity. In general, the paper is well structured; the methods are reproducible and the data are well presented. It is possible to develop a biodegradable insecticide from this plant.

Available online 11 Jul 2014

: Corresponding author: Dr. Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health, P.O. Box: 71645-111, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Tel: +987117251001-8 Ext: 348 Fax: +987117250053

Cheryl & ethnovet

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Wednesday 12 November 2014