title: Toxicity of β-citronellol, geraniol and linalool from Pelargonium roseum essential oil against the West Nile and filariasis vector Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae).
abstract: Insect vectors are responsible for spreading devastating parasites and pathogens. A large number of botanicals have been suggested for eco-friendly control programs against mosquito vectors, and some of them are aromatic plants. Pelargonium roseum, a species belonging to the Geraniaceae family, due to its pleasant rose-like odor may represent a suitable candidate as mosquito repellent and/or larvicide. In this research, we evaluated the toxicity of the essential oil from P. roseum and its major constituents against the West Nile and filariasis vector Culex pipiens. The chemical composition of P. roseum essential oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Major constituents were citronellol (35.9%), geraniol (18.5%), and linalool (5.72%). The bioactivity of P. roseum essential oil and its three major compounds on larvae and egg rafts of Cx. pipiens was evaluated. The essential oil had a significant toxic effect on larvae and egg rafts of Cx. pipiens, with 50% lethal concentration (LC50) values of 5.49 and 0.45μg/mL, respectively. Major constituents, geraniol, citronellol and linalool resulted in LC50values of 6.86, 7.64 and 14.87μg/mL on larvae, and 0.8, 0.67 and 1.27μg/mL on egg rafts. Essential oil and two of its constituents, citronellol and geraniol showed moderate knock-down on Cx. pipiens adults. Overall, the present investigation revealed that the major components of P. roseum and specially the whole essential oil could be helpful in developing novel and safe mosquito control tools and also offer an environmentally safe and cheap tool for reducing Cx. pipiens mosquito populations.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohaddeseh Abouhosseini
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tabari
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran. Electronic address: youssefi929@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Youssefi
authors.affiliation: Young Researchers and Elite Club, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Aryan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esfandiari
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: benelli.giovanni@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benelli
mesh_terms: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000818:Animals; D003465:Culex / Q000187:drug effects*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D031316:Pelargonium / Q000737:chemistry*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D007302:Insect Repellents; D007306:Insecticides; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; C018584:linalool; C007836:geraniol; C007078:citronellol
keywords: Biopesticide; GC–MS; Mosquito control; St. Louis encephalitis; WHO