title: Artemisia absinthium-borne compounds as novel larvicides: effectiveness against six mosquito vectors and acute toxicity on non-target aquatic organisms.
abstract: The eco-friendly control of mosquito vectors is a crucial challenge of public health importance. Here we evaluated the larvicidal potential of Artemisia absinthium essential oil (EO) and its three major chemical constituents against six mosquito vectors: Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles subpictus, Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culex tritaeniorhynchus. The EO was obtained by leaf hydro-distillation. Its chemical composition was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Major components were (E)-β-farnesene (31.6 %), (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether (11.12 %), and (Z)-β-ocimene (27.8 %). The EO was toxic effect against larval populations of An. stephensi, An. subpictus, Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, with LC50values of 41.85, 52.02, 46.33, 57.57, 50.57, and 62.16 μg/ml. (E)-β-farnesene, (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether, and (Z)-β-ocimene were highly effective on An. stephensi (LC50= 8.13, 16.24 and 25.84 μg/ml) followed by An. subpictus (LC50= 10.18, 20.99, and 30.86 μg/ml), Ae. aegypti (LC50= 8.83,17.66, and 28.35 μg/ml), Ae. albopictus (LC50= 11.38,23.47, and 33.72 μg/ml), Cx. quinquefasciatus (LC50= 9.66, 19.76, and 31.52 μg/ml), and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (LC50= 12.51,25.88, and 37.13 μg/ml). Notably, the EO and its major compounds were safer to the non-target organisms Chironomous circumdatus, Anisops bouvieri and Gambusia affinis, with LC50values ranging from 207.22 to 4385 μg/ml. Overall, our results highlight that (E)-β-farnesene, (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether, and (Z)-β-ocimene from the A. absinthium EO represent promising eco-friendly larvicides against six key mosquito vectors with moderate toxicity against non-target organisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Unit of Vector Control, Phytochemistry and Nanotechnology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, 608 002, Tamil Nadu, India. drgovind1979@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marimuthu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Govindarajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy. benelli.giovanni@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benelli
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000330:Aedes / Q000187:drug effects; D000475:Alkenes; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000187:drug effects; D059001:Aquatic Organisms; D031171:Artemisia absinthium / Q000737:chemistry*; D003465:Culex / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007306:Insecticides / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods; D000072138:Mosquito Vectors / Q000187:drug effects; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D012717:Sesquiterpenes
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000475:Alkenes; D007306:Insecticides; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C443996:beta-ocimene; C062671:beta-farnesene; C029290:absinthium
keywords: (E)-β-farnesene; (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether; (Z)-β-ocimene; Biosafety; Culcidae; Gambusia affinis; Non-target arthropods