Comparative study on larvicidal potentials of three medicinal plants on larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823 mosquitoes

Abstract

Mosquitoes acts as principal vectors and transmits several diseases that takes away human life’s population globally. They are the vector of many vector-borne diseases affecting human beings and animals. The use of chemical larvicides not only exerts health hazards to the human beings as well as the to the environment but also increases the resistance power of the mosquito species. Thus different botanicals with potential larvicidal values and causes no harm to the living beings and to the environment should be used to diminish the population of these mosquitoes. This study recorded the value of LC50 of the ethanol extract of Lantana camara was 234.43 ppm, 131.82 ppm and 89.12 ppm at 24hrs, 48hrs. and 72hrs. time intervals respectively; 426.57 ppm, 186.20 ppm and 89.12 ppm at 24hrs, 48hrs. and 72hrs. time intervals respectively in case of Catharanthus roseus; 398.10 ppm, 295.12 ppm and 199.52 ppm at 24hrs, 48hrs. and 72hrs. time intervals respectively in case of Ricinus communis. Thus, the ethanol leaf extracts of Lantana camara found to be more effective over Catharanthus roseus and Ricinus communis as an important larvicidal agent against the mosquito larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus.