title: A study of the molluscicidal and larvicidal activities of Citrullus colocynthis (L.) leaf extract and its main cucurbitacins against the mollusc Galba truncatula, intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The molluscicidal and larvicidal activities of the medicinal plant Citrullus colocynthis leaf extracts and its main cucurbitacins were tested against the mollusc gastropod Galba truncatula, the intermediate host of Fasciola hepatica.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our findings proved for the first time that the molluscicidal activity was correlated with the presence of terpenoids. A significant molluscicidal value was found in the ethyl acetate extract (LC50 = 12.6 mg L-1). Further fractionation of this extract led to the isolation of two main compounds identified to cucurbitacin E 1 and 2-O-β-d-glucocucurbitacin E 2. Their molluscicidal activities were also investigated and they possessed close activities with LC50= 9.55 and 10.61 mg L-1for compounds 2 and 1, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ethyl acetate extract and both pure compounds proved the highest larvicidal activities, with a deterioration rate exceeding 89.2% (89.2-100%) and with no toxic effects against associated fauna. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Rachid
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5468-4271
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chawech
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Njeh
authors.affiliation: Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Nejia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamed
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Damak
authors.affiliation: Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayadi
authors.affiliation: Fungal and Parasitic Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hayet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hammami
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Raoudha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mezghani-Jarraya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D065986:Citrullus colocynthis / Q000737:chemistry*; D054728:Cucurbitacins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005210:Fasciola hepatica; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D008975:Molluscacides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D012908:Snails / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D008975:Molluscacides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D054728:Cucurbitacins
keywords: Citrullus colocynthis; Fasciola hepatica; Galba truncatula; cucurbitacins; larvicidal; molluscicidal