Larvicidal activity of some essential oil hydrolates against dengue and filariasis vectors

Abstract

Essential oil hydrolates are aqueous solutions obtained during the steam distillation of medicinal and aromatic plants. The hydrolates of four plants - Zanthoxylum limonella, Zingiber officinale, Curcuma longa and Cymbopogon citratus were evaluated for their larvicidal activity against two laboratory reared mosquito species - Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus . The hydrolate of Z. limonella was most effective against both Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus with LC 50 11 and 15.5 (%v/v) respectively. The larvicidal activity of hydrolates of Z. officinale , C. longa and C. citratus were also found promising with LC 50 of at 15.8, 24.7 and 33.7 (%v/v) respectively against Ae. albopictus and 21.8, 35.5 and 38.8 (%v/v) against Cx. quinquefasciatus . The results suggest the potential utilisation of hydrolates of essential oils for the control of mosquito populations.