Open AccessOvicidal activity of Ageratum houstonianum Mill. (Asteraceae) leaf extracts against Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)
Author(s) -
Samuel Tennyson,
John Ravindran,
Alex Eapen,
John William
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
asian pacific journal of tropical disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.208
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 2222-1808
DOI - 10.1016/s2222-1808(14)60653-8
Subject(s) - culex quinquefasciatus , anopheles stephensi , aedes aegypti , biology , ageratum conyzoides , asteraceae , traditional medicine , botany , toxicology , larva , medicine , weed
Objective: To study the ovicidal activity of Ageratum houstonianum (A. houstonianum) leaf\udextracts against the eggs of vector mosquitoes and to develop additional tools for the control of\udmosquito-borne diseases.\udMethods: The ovicidal activity of crude hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol leaf extracts of\udA. houstonianum were assayed for their toxicity against the eggs of three important vector\udmosquitoes, viz., Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus at concentrations\udof 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 mg/L of the crude extract.\udResults: All extracts showed activity. The minimum concentration at which maximum egg\udmortality rate of 80% and above obtained was 10.0 mg/L in the case of methanol and ethyl acetate\udagainst Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti respectively and 5.0 mg/L in ethyl acetate extract\udagainst Culex quinquefasciatus. One hundred per cent egg mortality was obtained only in ethyl\udacetate extract at 20.0 mg/L against Aedes aegypti.\udConclusions: The crude leaf extracts of A. houstonianum did not exhibit potential ovicidal\udactivity against the vector species studied. Among the crude leaf extracts tested, the activity of\udethyl acetate extract was more effective. More research on the screening of phytochemicals as a\udpotential ovicidal agent is warranted to add more tools in the control of mosquitoes