title: Mosquito larvicidal activity of Rauvolfia serpentina L. seeds against Culex quinquefasciatus Say.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the larvicidal activities, if any of solvent extracts of Rauvolfia serpentina (R. serpentina) L. seeds against Culex quinquefasciatus (Cx. quinquefasciatus) Say, 1823 as target species.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seeds of R. serpentina were extracted with five solvents graded according to the polarity [viz. petroleum ether, benzene, ethyl acetate, acetone and absolute alcohol] continuing one after another with the same seeds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality rate with petroleum ether extract was significantly higher than other extracts. The mortality rates of late 3rd instar larvae were 50.33±5.51, 10.00±1.00, 0.00±0.00, 21.33±1.53 and 0.00±0.00 in 100 ppm concentration of petroleum ether, benzene, ethyl acetate, acetone and absolute alcohol respectively, after 24 h of exposure period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study show that petroleum ether extract of R. serpentina seed may be considered as a potent source of mosquito larvicidal agent.
authors.affiliation: Mosquito and Microbiology Research Units, Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Burdwan University, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Dipanwita
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Goutam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chandra
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates; D000096:Acetone; D000473:Alkanes; D000818:Animals; D001554:Benzene; D001681:Biological Assay; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D003465:Culex / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol; D007306:Insecticides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D011926:Rauwolfia; D012639:Seeds; D012997:Solvents
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000473:Alkanes; D007306:Insecticides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D000096:Acetone; D000431:Ethanol; C007650:ethyl acetate; D001554:Benzene; C004544:naphtha