title: Larvicidal activity of essential oils from Brazilian plants against Aedes aegypti L.
abstract: Aedes aegypti L. is the major vector of dengue fever, an endemic disease in Brazil. In an effort to find effective and affordable ways to control this mosquito, the larvicidal activities of essential oils from nine plants widely found in the Northeast of Brazil were analyzed by measurement of their LC50. The essential oils were extracted by steam distillation and their chemical composition determined by GL-chromatography coupled to mass spectroscopy. The essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus and Lippia sidoides, reported in the literature to have larvicidal properties against A. aegypti, were used for activity comparison. The results show that Ocimum americanum and Ocimum gratissimum have LC50 of 67 ppm and 60 ppm respectively, compared to 63 ppm for L. sidoides and 69 ppm for C. citratus. These results suggest a potential utilization of the essential oil of these two Ocimum species for the control of A. aegypti.
authors.affiliation: Curso de Química, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidad Estadual do Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, Campus do Itaperi, 60740-000 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eveline Solon Barreira
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti
authors.forename: Selene Maia de
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: Michele Ashley A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Eddie William Pinho
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Santana
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D007306:Insecticides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils