Larvicidal and mosquito repellent action of peppermint ( Mentha piperita) oil

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2000-02, Vol.71 (3), p.267-271
• Main Authors: Ansari, M.A, Vasudevan, Padma, Tandon, Mamta, Razdan, R.K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adults; Aedes aegypti; An. annularis; An. culicifacies; An. subpictus; Anopheles stephensi; Anophelines; Biological and medical sciences; blood meal; Culex quinquefasciatus; enamel; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; imagos; insect repellents; instars; larvae; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Mentha piperita nothosubsp. piperita; Mortality; Mosquito control; Mosquitoes; oils; Peppermint oil; phthalates; Plants (botany); Protection; Repellent; Skin; surface area; surface water; trays; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; Water
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/S0960-8524(99)00079-6

Oil of Mentha piperita L. (Peppermint oil), a widely used essential oil, was evaluated for larvicidal activity against different mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus by exposing IIIrd instar larvae of mosquitoes in enamel trays 6 × 4 inch 2 size filled to a depth of 3 inch with water. Of the three species tested Cx. quinquefasciatus was most susceptible followed by Ae. aegypti and An. stephensi. Application of oil at 3 ml/m 2 of water surface area resulted in 100% mortality within 24 h for Cx. quinquefasciatus, 90% for Ae. aegypti and 85% for An. stephensi. For Ae. aegypti 100% mortality was achieved at 3 ml/m 2 in 48 h or 4 ml/m 2 in 24 h. For An. stephensi 100% mortality was observed at 4 ml/m 2 in 72 h. The emergence at 3 ml/m 2 was also inhibited to a great extent and the few adults which emerged did not ovipost even after taking a blood meal. The oil showed strong repellent action against adult mosquitoes when applied on human skin. Percent protection obtained against An. annularis, An. culicifacies, and Cx. quinquefasciatus was 100%, 92.3% and 84.5%, respectively. The repellent action of Mentha oil was comparable to that of Mylol oil consisting of dibutyl and dimethyl phthalates.