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Strong larvicidal activity of three species of Spilanthes (Akarkara) against malaria (Anopheles stephensi Liston, Anopheles culicifacies, species C) and filaria vector (Culex quinquefasciatus Say)

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Abstract

A system for biocontrol of malaria and filarial mosquito vectors has been developed using herbal extracts of three Spilanthes species, S. acmella L.var oleraceae Clarke, S. calva L. and S. paniculata Wall ex DC. Cent percent mortalities was achieved against the late third/early fourth instar larvae of A. stephensi Liston, A. culicifacies species C and C. quinquefasciatus Say using crude hexane extract obtained from flower heads of Spilanthes spp. Of the three plant species, S. acmella extract proved to be the most effective in inducing complete lethality at minimum doses, the respective LC50 and LC90 values being 4.57 and 7.83 (A. stephensi), 0.87 and 1.92 (A. culicifacies) and 3.11and 8.89 ppm (C. quinquefasciatus). This was followed by S. calva and S. paniculata extracts, respectively. This is the first report of achieving cent percent lethality against these mosquito larvae using minimal doses of plant extracts from this or any other plant species.

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Acknowledgements

Veena Agrawal is grateful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for financial assistance and Vibha Pandey to CSIR, New Delhi, for JRF and SRF.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India

    Vibha Pandey & Veena Agrawal

  2. National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, 54, India

    K. Raghavendra & A. P. Dash

Authors
  1. Vibha Pandey
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  2. Veena Agrawal
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  3. K. Raghavendra
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  4. A. P. Dash
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Correspondence to Veena Agrawal.

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Pandey, V., Agrawal, V., Raghavendra, K. et al. Strong larvicidal activity of three species of Spilanthes (Akarkara) against malaria (Anopheles stephensi Liston, Anopheles culicifacies, species C) and filaria vector (Culex quinquefasciatus Say). Parasitol Res 102, 171–174 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0763-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-007-0763-9

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