Eugenia uniflora, Melaleuca armillaris, and Schinus molle essential oils to manage larvae of the filarial vector Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2022-05, Vol.29 (23), p.34749-34758
• Main Authors: de Castro Oliveira, Júlia Assunção, Ferreira, Lorena Sales, Garcia, Israel Pereira, de Lima Santos, Hérica, Ferreira, Gustavo Sales, Rocha, João Pedro Miranda, Nunes, Stênio Alves, de Carvalho, Alexandre Alves, Pinto, José Eduardo Brasil Pereira, Bertolucci, Suzan Kelly Vilela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biochemistry; Cineole; Culex quinquefasciatus; Culicidae; Diptera; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Enzymes; Essential oils; Eugenia uniflora; Germacrene; Glutathione; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen production; Insecticide resistance; Insecticides; Larvae; Lipid peroxidation; Lipids; Megalaima armillaris; Melaleuca; Myrcene; Ocimene; Oils & fats; Organophosphates; Parameters; Peroxidation; Research Article; Sabinene; Schinus molle; Terpinolene; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18024-x

Populations of Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823 (Diptera: Culicidae) have shown resistance to insecticides of the carbamate and organophosphate classes. The objective of this study was to assess the susceptibility of C. quinquefasciatus larvae to essential oils from leaves of Eugenia uniflora L., Melaleuca armillaris (Sol. ex Gaertn.) Sm., and Schinus molle L and C. quinquefasciatus larvae’s biochemical responses after their exposure to these leaves. The essential oils were chemically analyzed by GC and GC/MS. First, the lethal concentration for 50% (LC 50 ) values was estimated using different concentrations of essential oils and probit analysis. The larvae were exposed for 1 h at the LC 50 estimated for each essential oil. The susceptibility of the larvae to essential oils was evaluated using the following biochemical parameters: concentrations of total protein and reduced glutathione; levels of production of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation; and the activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The main chemical constituents in E. uniflora were E -β-ocimene, curzerene, germacrene B, and germacrone; in M. armillaris were 1,8-cineole and terpinolene; and in S. molle were sabinene, myrcene, and sylvestrene. The essential oils had LC 50 values between 31.52 and 60.08 mg/L, all of which were considered effective. All of them also promoted changes in biochemical parameters when compared to the control treatment. The essential oils of S. molle and E. uniflora inhibited the activity of the AChE enzyme, and the essential oil of M. armillaris increased it. All essential oils had larvicidal activity against C. quinquefasciatus , but the essential oil of E. uniflora was the most efficient. Thus, the findings of the present study suggest that the essential oil of E. uniflora can be considered promising for the development of botanical larvicides.