Study on Larvicidal Effects of Essential Oils of Three Iranian Native Plants against Larvae Anopheles stephensi (Liston)
Objective: To determine the larvicidal activity of three medicinal plants essential oils against larvae Anopheles stephensi
Methods: The larvicidal effects of essential oils of seven medicinal plants collected from different parts of Iran including Carum carvi (seeds), Artemisia dracunculus (branches and leaves) and Rosmarinus officinalis (branches and leaves) were determined. The essential oils were hydro-distilled for 3-5 h using a Clevenger typeapparatus in Ecotoxicology Laboratory, School of Public Health (SPH), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). The antilarvae tests of EOs were carried out according to WHO’s guidelines at Bioassay Laboratory at adjacent of Culicidae Insectary of SPH, TUMS.
Results: The 50% and 90% of lethal concentrations of studied plant EOs were 21.59 and 72.44 ppm for C. carvi, 1.33 and 4.12 ppm for A. dracunculus, 93.22 and 229.29 ppm for R. officinalis, respectively. The chemical constituents of EOs were settled by GCMS analysis and the main constituents with larvicidal effect were determined.
Conclusion: The results revealed the high larvicidal potential of EOs of A. dracunculus and C. carvi and possible cultivation of latter plants, the identification of chemical compounds, trade formulation, semi-field and field evaluations of EOs are strongly recommended at malarious area, southern Iran.
