Mosquito larvicidal activity of citrus limonoids against Aedes albopictus

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) 2011-07, Vol.109 (1), p.221-229
• Main Authors: Hafeez, Faisal, Akram, Waseem, Shaalan, Essam Abdel-Salam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aedes - drug effects; Aedes albopictus; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Citrus - chemistry; Citrus paradisi; Citrus sinensis; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Immunology; Insecticides - isolation & purification; Insecticides - pharmacology; Invertebrates; Limonins - isolation & purification; Limonins - pharmacology; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Observations; Original Paper; Phytochemicals; Plant Oils - isolation & purification; Plant Oils - pharmacology; Survival Analysis; Testing; Vector control
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2228-9

Citrus limonoids, nomilin and limonin, were used for larvicidal assay against Aedes albopictus utilizing WHO methodology. LC 50s were 305.83, 176.08, and 136.07 μM for nomilin and 850.09, 600.72, and 407.09 μM for limonin after 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. LT 50 assays exhibited that Savage citrange oil was the best at all concentrations (400, 500, 600, and 700 ppm) while Fairchild and Cassa grande were the weakest oils at 400 ppm, but at 500, 600, and 700 ppm, Carrizo citrange remained at the bottom with highest LT 50 values. Results exhibited that nomilin was more toxic than limonin and therefore provided a clear indication that limonoids in sample oils influenced the potential of respective oil. Out of the 10 tested citrus seed oils, Savage citrange ( Citrus sinensis ) comprised the maximum amount of limonin (2823.59 μg/ml) followed by grapefruit, Sacaton citrumelo, and Jaffa. When this oil (Savage citrange) was evaluated for bioassay against larvae of Ae. albopictus , it reflected complete dominance (LC 50 and LT 50 ) as compared to rest of the oils. Although Jaffa ( Citrus paradisi ) was found to contain nomilin and limonin, it was found less effective as compared to Savage citrange. The oils from Minneola and Chinese lime did not contain limonin and nomilin, and were therefore weak in terms of LC 50 values. Presence of limonin and nomilin in plant products is therefore a significant indicator of the pest control that needs to be exploited in other plants as well.