In-Vitro Assessment of the Acaricidal Properties of Artemisia Annua and Zataria Multiflora Essential Oils to Control Cattle Ticks

• Published in: Iranian journal of parasitology 2011-03, Vol.6 (1), p.58-63
• Main Authors: KH Pirali-Kheirabadi, JA Teixeira da Silva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artemisia Annua; Botanical Acaricidal Agents; Essential Oil; Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Annulatus; Zataria Multiflora
• ISSN: 1735-7020; 2008-238X

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the ‘acaricidal effect' of Zataria multiflora and Ar­temisia annua essential oils on Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus.Methods: This study was carried out in 2009 in the Laboratory of Parasitology of the Faculty of Veteri­nary Medicine of Shahrekord University, west central Iran. Six dilutions (5, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 µL/cm3) of both essential oils were used against engorged female R. (Boophilus) annula­tus ticks using an in vitro immersion method. The mortality rates for each treatment were re­corded 6, 15 and 24 hours post inoculation (hpi). Mortality rate was analyzed using Repeated Meas­ures Analysis of Variance, and compari­son of means was carried out using General Linear Models Procedure.Results: The mortality rate caused by different dilutions of Z. multiflora essential oil ranged from 26.6% (using 10 µL/cm3) to 100% (using 40 µL/cm3) and for A. annua essential oil it was 33.2 to 100% (using 20 and 80 µL/cm3, respectively) by the end of the experiment (36 hpi). No mortality was recorded for the non-treated control group or for dilutions less than 5 and 10 µL/cm3 using Zataria and Artemisia essential oils, respectively. For Z. multiflora mortality peaked at 15 hpi for all concentrations other than 20 µL/cm3 and took 24 h to achieve its maximum effect while for A. an­nua the two highest concentrations needed 24 hpi to reach their full effect. In addition, essen­tial oils applied at more than 20 and 60 µL/cm3 caused 100% egg-laying failure in engorged fe­male ticks by Zataria and Artemisia, respectively while no failure was observed for the non-treated control group. The mortality rate in both botanical acaricides was dose-dependent.Conclusion: Both these medicinal plants have high potential acaricidal effects on the engorged stage of R. (Boophilus) annulatus in vitro.